Bangladeshis commemorate Martyrs’ Day

Abu Dhabi: Bangladeshi expatriates in the capital commemorated their country’s Martyrs’ Day on Wednesday at the Bangladeshi Embassy.

The day commemorates martyrs of Bangladesh’s Bhasha Andolan (language movement), who laid down their lives on February 21, 1952, in their struggle to get Bangla (Bengali) recognised as a state language.

In recognition of the sacrifices they made, the day was declared the International Mother Language Day by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) on November 17, 1999.

At a commemoration ceremony at the embassy, Mohammad Imran, Bangladeshi Ambassador to the UAE, hoisted the national flag half-mast to pay respect to the martyrs.

On the occasion, Imran also paid tributes to Emirati martyrs. Scores of Bangladeshi community members attended the event at the embassy. A similar event was held at the Bangladeshi Consulate General in Dubai also.

At a separate ceremony at Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Bangladesh Islamia School in Abu Dhabi, pupils, teachers and parents paid tributes to martyrs. Pupils sang patriotic songs and performed dances.