Virtual Bangladesh : History : Scenes from Ekushe February

Additional Information

February 21st day commemorates the lives sacrificed to make Bengali one of the national languages when Bangladesh was part of Pakistan. The West Pakistani regime tried to force Urdu as the national language, a fact that was strongly contested by Bengalis. On that fateful day a procession by Bengalis was shot at by police resulting in the death of 4 martyrs. The nascent Bengali nationalism ultimately gave birth to the free nation of Bangladesh.

[Students preparing to break section 144]
The Pakistan government imposed section 144 (gatherings of more than 4 people prohibited). The students fighting for Bangla's right decides to break the law.

[Shaheed Rafique]
Shaheed Rafique felled by indiscriminate firings by the police on the student procession.

[Shaheed Minar]
The memorial built to commemorate the language martyrs.

[Flower bedecked shaheed minar]
Every February 21, people from all walks of life walk barefoot to the Minar and lay wreaths of flowers to commemorate the martyrs.

[Shahee Minar, Feb. 21, 1991]
Another scene from February 21, 1991