The Consulate General of Bangladesh in Istanbul observed "Language Martyrs' Day" ("Shaheed Dibosh") and International Mother Language Day 2024 with due dignity and solemnity.
The day-long program began with hoisting the national flag at half-mast. Consul General Mohammed Nore-Alam and the Consulate officials paid tribute to the Language Martyrs of 1952 by offering a floral wreath at the makeshift Shaheed Minar at the Consulate premises.
In the afternoon, a discussion meeting was organized with the participation of expatriate Bangladeshis living in Istanbul and Turkish dignitaries. A one-minute silence was observed in memory of the language martyrs.
Special messages were given on this occasion by the Bangladeshi President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
In his remarks, the Consul General paid deep homage to all language martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice in 1952 to uphold the dignity of the Bangla language as their mother tongue.
He observed that Bangladeshi the youths' ultimate sacrifice for their mother tongue on Feb. 21, 1952, is a rare example in world history. UNESCO recognized this day as International Mother Language Day (IMLD) in 1999. Since then, it has been observed globally as the IMLD.
The Consul General encouraged Bangladeshi teachers, researchers and students in Türkiye to translate Bangla history, literature and creative works into Turkish, which would help Turkish speakers better understand the linguistic and literary richness of the Bangla language.
Ms. Deniz Bülker, Honorary Consul of Bangladesh in Konya, journalist Ahmet Coşkunaydın and Mohammad Zakir Hossain of Daily Sabah were among the other speakers at the discussion.
The speakers praised Bangladesh's economic and social development while expressing optimism that the relationship between Bangladesh and Türkiye will become stronger.
Following the discussion, a poetry recitation was held where Bangladeshi and Turkish poets recited famous poems and songs on the language movements of 1952. The program ended with commemorating the departed souls of the language movements.
