Bangladeshis protest against Pakistan on International Mother Language Day

Bangladeshis took part in protest demonstrations, bicycle rallies and seminars on International Mother Language Day in Dhaka on Sunday recalling with horror the role of the Pakistan occupation forces in suppressing their freedom movement and the Bangla language.

While paying homage to the brave-hearts who lost their lives, speakers recalled with horror the role of Pakistan occupation forces to suppress the movement and brutal crackdown on innocent citizens. Several events were held in Dhaka and other divisional towns in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Social Activists Forum (BSAF), a prominent NGO having roots in the nationalist movement of the country, held memorial meetings and processions in various parts of the country. The speakers paid homage to the fallen soldiers of the Bengali national movement and criticized the wily rule of Pakist dictators who tried to suppress the Bengali national movement and freedom struggle of Bangladesh.

In Dhaka, volunteers of BSAF offered floral tribute at Dhaka Central Shaheed Minar followed by a rally of over one hundred people which passed through Dhaka University, National Museum, and culminated at Dhaka Press Club. Freedom fighters, intellectuals, scholars, etc participated in the function.

In Khulna, a rally of over a hundred people including twenty motorbikes was held from Shaheed Hadith Park and culminated at Gallamari Shaheed Budhijeevi Memorial. Similar rallies and memorial meetings were held in Rajshahi, Benepole, and Patuakhali.

During the rally, posters condemning Pakistan for its brutal attempt to suppress the Bengali language movement in 1952 were displayed. In their address, speakers pledged not to forget the atrocities committed by Pakistan on hapless Bengali people.

'Open Dialogue Bangladesh' orgsed a seminar cum discussion meeting at Economic Reporter's Forum Hall Dhaka on the subject '52's Language Movement and Independence'.

Approximately 150 people including prominent individuals and liberation war veterans participated in the function. Monirul Hasan Bulbul, Senior Journalist and former secretary of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Govind Chandra Pramk senior Advocate, Dr. Manoranjan Ghoshal, veteran freedom fighter, Basudev Dhar, President Indian Media Correspondent Association, etc spoke on the occasion.

The speakers, in their address, remembered the evil intention of Pakistan to snatch Bangla language and culture through their 'Urdu only' policy which the freedom-loving Bengali population vehemently opposed. The speakers remembered that Pakistan's evil designs to control Bangladesh were unabated and still continuing in various forms. They pledged to resist the nefarious designs of Pakistan and continue to fight to protect the much-fought freedom and liberation of the country.

Bharat- Bangladesh Sampriti Sangshta (BBSS) Welfare Association orgzed a bicycle rally. Around one hundred and thirty-five people took part in the rally led by Taufiq Ahmed Tasfir, President of the orgzation. The rally started from Nikunja, passed through Road No. 71 where Pakistan High Commission is located, and terminated at Gulshan Avenue.

Speaking during the programme, speakers stated that innocent Bangladeshi people were victimized by the Pak forces who wanted to suppress the freedom of speech of Bengali people. They urged the govt. to sever all kinds of bilateral relations with Pakistan, the killer of 30 lakh Bangladeshis. Participants were holding placards with slogans such as 'Pakistan wanted to kill Bengali's freedom of speech', 'we will not forgive Pakistan who emptied the lap of a mother for speaking in mother language', 'those who did not accept our Bangla language cannot be our friends.'

( With inputs from ANI )