Photo : PID

DHAKA, Feb 21, 2026 (BSS) - The Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad today observed the Great Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day with due respect and solemnity, commemorating the supreme sacrifices of the 1952 Language Martyrs.

The programme began with the hoisting of the national flag at half-mast at the chancery premises, according to a message received here. 

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Md Iqbal Hossain Khan, accompanied by officials, staff and children, laid a wreath at a temporary Shaheed Minar constructed on the premises to pay homage to the martyrs. 

The participants sang in chorus "Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February, Ami Ki Bhulite Pari," recalling the historic sacrifice of the language heroes.

Messages issued by the President, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and the State Minister for Foreign Affairs were read out on the occasion.

A video message from the President of the 43rd General Conference of UNESCO, Khondkar M Talha, was also screened.

The observance included recitation from the Holy Qur'an, a discussion session, screening of a documentary and a special prayer seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of the Language Martyrs and continued progress and prosperity of the nation.

In his concluding remarks, the High Commissioner paid deep tribute to the martyrs of February 21, 1952, who laid down their lives to establish Bangla as the state language. 

He underscored the immense significance of the Language Movement in the country's struggle for emancipation, noting that it laid the foundation for a secular, democratic and language-based state structure.

He also remembered with respect the martyrs of the Great Liberation War and other democratic movements, calling upon all to uphold the spirit of Ekushey in building a prosperous and inclusive Bangladesh.

In the afternoon, a drawing competition and a cultural programme were organised for children and adolescents, followed by prize distribution among the winners.