DHAKA, Feb 19, 2026 (BSS)- Cultural Affairs Ministry has taken elaborate programmes marking the Shahid Dibash and International Mother Language Day.

On the day the national flag will remain half mast at all government, semi-government, autonomous and private buildings and educational institutes on February 21.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, all the private television and radio channels will broadcast programmes while and all print media will publish special supplement.

The ministry asked all follow the rules regarding hoisting the national flag according to the measurement, said a ministry release.

Keeping similarity with the national programme all educational institutes, city corporations, municipalities, zilla parishad, upazila parishad, union councils will observe the day with due respect.

The President and the Prime Minister will pay homage to the martyrs on the day at the Central Shaheed Minar.
 
Later, cross section people, representatives of foreign embassies, representatives of different agencies and departments and different political parties will pay homage to language martyrs at the Shaheed Minar.

The law enforcement agencies will take necessary measures to allow people to pay homage at Shaheed Minar and graves of the languages martyrs at  Azimpur graveyard. 

To mark the day, different city road islands and other important places will be decorated with the festoons and banners inscribed with the alphabets of all the communities including Bangla.

Besides this, prayers will be organized at all mosques, temples, churches and other places of worship for language martyrs.

The Department of Mass Communication will organize mobile musical programme in trucks in the Dhaka city and vessels on river routes around Dhaka city alongside mobile film show in districts and upazilas.

Shahid Dibash and International Mother Language Day will also be observed in Bangladesh Missions abroad.

Bangladesh Shisu Academy will arrange children art competition, recitation of rhymes and poems and cultural programme.

Bangla Academy will organize Ekushey book fair to mark the day.  Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Department of Public Libraries, Bangladesh National Museum, Jatiya Grantha Kendro, Jatiya Kabi Nazrul Institute, Bangladesh Shisu Academy and different publications houses including the Islamic Foundation will participate in the book fair.

Bangladesh Shisu Academy will take special programmes for children while arrangement will be taken for the children, adolescents, students, old person and children with special needs.

Bangladesh National Museum and its branches, Shilpacharya Zainul Folk and Craft Museum, Bangladesh Lok O Karu Shilpa Foundation and all the museums and archeological sites under the Department of Archaeology will remain open for children for visit without any ticket.

In addition to this, showcasing of documentaries, documentary evidence on  the language movement, drawing and displaying of graffiti on mass uprising of 2024, children and adolescents good handwriting competition and seminar will be held at Bangladesh National Museum and Swadhinata Museum.

The department of public libraries will organize essay writing and art competition and discussion on language movement in all public libraries across the country.