Despite 68 long years have passed since the language movement of 1952, most educational institutions in Naogaon do not have Shaheed Minar on their premises. Only 42 out of 1375 primary schools have Shaheed Minar in Naogaon, according to District Education Office sources. Whereas, 121 out of 621 institutes in the district including high schools, colleges and madrasas have Shaheed Minar.
Due to the absence of Shaheed Minar students of these educational institutions possess vague ideas about 21 February, the International Mother Language Day.
It was found, talking to the students of such educational institutes where there is no Shaheed Minar, that many of them could not say anything about 21st February, Language Movement and the International Mother Language Day. Meanwhile, the Shaheed Minars in educational institutions of the remote areas of Naogaon are also in a deplorable condition due to ignorance and negligence.
Some of the local political and social organisations put flowers on some of the Shaheed Minars on 21 February. However, no arrangements are made for the Language Movement on International Mother Language Day. As a result, students are unable to learn anything about the Language Movement.
Naogaon Sadar Upazila Education Officer Nayar Sultana said that out of the 139 primary schools in Sadar upazila, there are only 15 Shaheed Minars. “I have given a directive to the headmasters of all primary schools in Sadar upazila. We hope that Shaheed Minars will be constructed in all institutions during Mujib Barsho”, she added.
District Education Officer Mobarul Islam and District Primary Education Officer Aminul Islam said they have informed senior authorities about the construction of the Shaheed Minar in the educational institutions. However, no decision has yet been made on the construction of the Shaheed Minars.
