Language Movement Day, also called State Language Day or Language Martyrs' Day, is a national holiday of Bangladesh taking place on 21 February each year and commemorating the Bengali language movement and its martyrs. On this day, people visit Shaheed Minar to pay homage to the movement's martyrs and arrange seminars discussing and promoting Bengali as the state language of Bangladesh.
The Bengali language movement was a political movement in former East Bengal in 1952, advocating the recognition of the Bengali language as a co-lingua franca of the then-Dominion of Pakistan to allow its use in government affairs, the continuation of its use as a medium of education, its use in media, currency and stamps, and to maintain its writing in the Bengali script.
The Bangla Academy is the official regulatory body of the Bengali language in Bangladesh. It is an autonomous institution funded by the Government of Bangladesh that fosters the Bengali language, literature and culture, works to develop and implement national language policy and conducts original research in Bengali. Established in 1955, it is located in the Burdwan House in Shahbagh, Dhaka, within the grounds of the University of Dhaka and Suhrawardy Udyan. The Bangla Academy hosts the annual Ekushey Book Fair.
Mohammad Zahirullah, known as Zahir Raihan, was a Bangladeshi novelist, writer and filmmaker. He is most notable for his documentary Stop Genocide (1971), made during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was posthumously awarded Ekushey Padak in 1977 and Independence Day Award in 1992 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Suhrawardy Udyan is a national memorial and public space located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Originally known as Ramna Race Course, it holds significant historical importance due to its association with key events in the country's history.
Abdul Gaffar Choudhury was a Bangladeshi-born British writer, journalist, columnist, political analyst and poet. He wrote the lyrics to "Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano", a widely celebrated song commemorating the Bengali Language Movement. He was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1967, Ekushey Padak in 1983, and Independence Day Award in 2009.
Bengali novels occupy a major part of Bengali literature. Despite the evidence of Bengali literary traditions dating back to the 7th century, the format of novel or prose writing did not fully emerge until the early nineteenth century. The development of Bengali novel was fueled by colonial encounter, booming print culture, growth of urban centers, and increased middle-class readership Upanyas, the Bangla word for novel, is derived from the words upanay and upanyasta.
Shafiur Rahman is considered in Bangladesh to be a martyr of the language movement which took place in the former East Pakistan.
Ekushey Padak is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. The award is given to recognize contributions in a number of fields, including culture, education, and economics. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs administers the award.
Abdus Salam was a demonstrator who died during the Bengali Language Movement demonstrations which took place in the erstwhile East Bengal, Pakistan in 1952. He is considered a martyr in Bangladesh.
Abdul Matin was a language activist of the Bengali Language Movement that took place in the erstwhile East Pakistan to make Bengali one of the state language of Pakistan. He was one of the student leaders and organizers of the movement. His contribution to the movement has been hailed by the other activists and students as he was popularly known as Bhasha Matin.
The Tamaddun Majlish, formerly Pakistan Tamaddun Majlish, is an Islamic cultural organization in Bangladesh, established in 1947 by Principal Abul Kashem in the former East Pakistan. It was one of the founding organizations of the Bengali Language Movement.
Abdul Latif was a Bangladeshi singer, musician, and lyricist. He was the initial composer of the Bengali language movement song, "Amaar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February". He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1997 and Independence Day Award in 2002 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Altaf Mahmud was a musician, cultural activist, and martyred freedom fighter of the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was also a language activist of the Language Movement and composer of "Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano", the famous song written to commemorate the event.
"Ekusher Gan", more popularly known by its incipit as "Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano", is a Bengali protest song written by Abdul Gaffar Choudhury to mark the Bengali Language Movement in 1952 East Bengal. It was first published anonymously in the last page of a newspaper with the headline Ekusher Gaan, but was later published in Ekushey's February edition.
Asad Chowdhury was a Bangladeshi poet, writer, translator, radio, television personality, journalist, and cultural activist. He was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2013 and the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1987.
There have been numerous works of art created as a result of the Bangladesh Liberation War. In 1971, a concert was organized by members of the British rock band, The Beatles, in support of Bangladesh. The songs recorded for and broadcast on Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra are still considered to be the best of Bangladeshi protest songs.
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