Love for mother tongue reunites thousands at Benapole’s no-man’s land

Thousands of people from Bangladesh and India gathered at no-man's land here on Friday, marking 'Amar Ekushey', the Language Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day.

The Bangla-speaking people of the two neighbouring countries paid rich tributes to the language heroes placing  wreaths at the Shaheed Minar established temporarily at no-man's land.

The great Language Movement in 1952, a significant event in the nation's history, was aimed at establishing the right of the mother tongue as well as protecting self-entity, and culture and heritage.

Political leaders of the two countries attended the programme which started with recitation from the Holy Quran and Geeta.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) Swapan Bhattacharjee, West Bengal's Food and Supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mallick, among others, attended the programme.

Sheikh Afil Uddin, MP, Customs Commissioner Belal Hossain Chowdhury, Jashore Deputy Commissioner Shafiul Arif, Superintendent of District Police Ashraf Hossain, Border Guard Bangladesh BGB 49 commander Lt Col Selim Reza, among others, attended the programme from Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Biswajit Das, MLA, Uttar-24 Pargana District Parishad President Rahima Mondol, Bongaon Municipality Mayor Shankar Adhya, among others, from the India side attended the programme.

Different cultural and social organisations  from both countries participated in a cultural programme arranged on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion,  Swapan Bhattacharjee said Language Movement started in 1948 and the movement in 1952 led to the independence of Bangladesh.

Jyotipriya Mallick, said, "You sacrificed lives for language and independece. There's no other example of sacrifice like yours in the world. We're here to observe Amar Ekushey for our love for language."