The supreme sacrifice of the language heroes on this day 66 years back is being remembered as people in thousands are thronging the Central Shaheed Minar at midnight to pay their glowing tributes to the 1952 language martyrs by placing wreaths at the altar of the monument, reports BSS.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the nation in paying homage to the language heroes as they placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar in Dhaka at one minute past midnight last night. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived at the Shaheed Minar seven minutes before the clock struck 12 midnight while President Abdul Hamid reached two minutes before the zero hour.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proceeded to the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar together in slow pace as the immortal song on Amar Ekushey–’Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February’– was playing over the loudspeaker. The President was the first to lay the wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar. Just after the President, the Prime Minister placed the wreath at the Shaheed Minar. They stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the language heroes.
Ministers, advisers to the prime minister, parliament members, chiefs of three services, diplomats, senior Awami League leaders, freedom fighters, and high civil and military officials were present on the occasion. Later, Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Deputy Speaker Fazley Rabbi Mia and Leader of the Opposing in Parliament Begun Rowshan Ershad placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar.
On arrival at the Shaheed Minar, the President was received by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman. Flanked by cabinet members and senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, later placed another wreath at the Shaheed Minar on behalf of the party. The chiefs of the three services and the inspector general of police (IGP) also laid wreaths at the altar of the Shaheed Minar.