Sultan Mahmood, Regional Correspondent
International Mother Language Day was celebrated at No-Man's land at Benapole border under Jashore on Friday. On the Day, thousands of Bengalis from Bangladesh and West Bengal expressed their solidarity with the language. Forgetting the political division, the boundary line became one. Residents of the two states became one Bengali speaking nation on Friday, paying homage to the martyrs.
On Friday morning at 1030 am, people joined the party at Ekushey Milan, ignoring the geographical boundary, ignoring only the barbed wire fence. The temporary martyr altar in the No-Man’s Land on the Benapole-Petrapole border was covered with flowers in honor of them. Representatives of the common people of the two Bengal, political, social, business and cultural organizations and government paid floral tribute there.
The ceremony started at 1030 am with placing flowers at the temporary martyr altar in Benapole-Petrapole No-Man's Land. Sheikh Afil Uddin, MP of Jashore-1 (Sharsha), presided over the stage in Bangladesh. State minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Swapan Bhattacharya was present as chief guest while deputy commissioner of Jashore Mohammad Shafiul Arif, Superintendent of Police Md. Ashraf Hossain, Benapole Customs Commissioner Belal Hossain Chowdhury, Benapole port director Abdul Jalil, Jashore BGB 49 Battalion Commander Selim Reza, Sharsha Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Pulok Kumar Mandal, Jashore district AL president Shahidul Islam Milon, secretary Shaheen Chakladar, Sharsha Upazila Awami League president and upazila chairman Sirajul Haque Manju, general secretary of Upazila Awami League and member secretary of the 21 celebration committee Md. Nuruzzaman, Benapole Checkpost Immigration OC Ahsan Habib and Benapole Port Police Station OC Mamun Khan among others were present on the occasion.
On the other hand, West Bengal food and supplies minister Sri Jotipriya Mallick was present as the chief guest on the stage of West Bengal. Chief of Bangaon municipality Shankar Addya was present as special guest. Former MP of Bonga Lok Sabha Mamata Thakur, President of North 24 Parganas Zila Parishad Bina Mondal, Vice-President of North 24 Pargana’s Zila Parishad Krishna Gopal Banerjee, Bangaon Panchayat Samiti president Pradeep Biswas, North 24 Parganas district administrator Chaitali Chakraborty, Superintendent of Police of Bangaon Tarun Haldar, Assistant Customs Commissioner of Petropole Mihir Kumar Chanda, Assistant Commander of BSF Shiv Narayan among others were present on the stage of West Bengal.
On the border, no-man's land area wass decorated with various colorful festoons, banners, placards, and flowers. Visitors became emotionally overwhelmed by hugging each other. Sprinkling the petals of flowers and distributing sweets, they made each other happy. On the occasion, artistes from both countries sang and recited poems. BGB and BSF were always on the alert so that no one could enter the border illegally. Additional members were deployed at the borders. At the Language Day meeting, the BGB-BSF offered flowers on the altars.
State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative Swapan Bhattacharya said, Freedom of Bangladesh has come through the 1952 language movement. And the people and government of India stood by us during the freedom fight in 1971.” Recalling Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib's contribution in the war of independence, he said, Democracy under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has started to develop further in this country. Terrorism will be eliminated in the region under the leadership of the two countries. Their love for language and language martyrs will further solidify the foundation of cordial relations between our two countries.
West Bengal Government Minister for Food and Supplies Jotipriya Mallick said, “You have given your life for the language and sacrificed life for Independence. There is no nation in the world that made so much sacrifice for language and freedom. That's why you're a proud nation. We have rushed to Bangladesh to celebrate Ekush through the pull of the common language. The friendship between the two countries will be further strengthened through the meeting between the two Bengalis. Although the country is divided, the language has not changed. Although we are on two different sides, Shaheed Salaam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar belong to all. (Attach Photo)
