21 February is observed as Shaheed Dibosh every year throughout the country in remembrance of the martyrs of language movement of 1952. The comme-moration begins at the early hours of the day with mourning songs that recall the supreme sacrifices of our language martyrs. People wear black badges and go to the Shaheed Minar in barefoot processions, singing mourning songs. They place wreaths at the Minar. Many of them visit the graves of the martyrs at Azimpur graveyard and pray for them. They also attend various programmes organised in remembrance of the language martyrs.

The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) on 17 November in 1999 proclaimed February 21 as the International Mother Language Day in recognition of the sacrifices of the martyrs for the rightful place of Bangla. Two Bangladeshi expatriates living in Vancouver in Canada, Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam, sent a proposal to Kofi Anan, the then Secretary General of United Nations. They requested him to declare 21st February as the International Mother Language Day. They added that the decision will honour and save all extinct languages of the world. As per their logical expectations the government of Bangladesh then took prompt initiative by sending formal proposal to UNESCO. Finally, on 17 November 1999, UNESCO declared 21st February as the International Mother Language Day. The day is now annually observed worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

Bangla Translation: ২১শে ফেব্রুয়ারি প্রতি বছর সারা দেশে ভাষা আন্দোলনের শহীদদের স্মরণে শহীদ দিবস হিসেবে পালিত হয়। দিনের প্রথম প্রহরেই ভাষা শহীদদের সর্বোচ্চ আত্মত্যাগ স্মরণ করে শোকের গান পরিবেশনের মাধ্যমে অনুষ্ঠান শুরু হয়। মানুষ কালো ব্যাজ ধারণ করে এবং শোকের গান গাইতে গাইতে খালি পায়ে শহীদ মিনারের দিকে প্রভাতফেরিতে অংশ নেয়। তারা শহীদ মিনারে পুষ্পস্তবক অর্পণ করে। অনেকেই আজিমপুর কবরস্থানে শহীদদের কবর পরিদর্শন করে তাদের আত্মার মাগফিরাত কামনা করেন। এছাড়াও ভাষা শহীদদের স্মরণে বিভিন্ন অনুষ্ঠানের আয়োজন করা হয়।

ইউনেস্কো (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) ১৯৯৯ সালের ১৭ই নভেম্বর ভাষা শহীদদের আত্মত্যাগের স্বীকৃতি হিসেবে ২১শে ফেব্রুয়ারিকে আন্তর্জাতিক মাতৃভাষা দিবস হিসেবে ঘোষণা করে। কানাডার ভ্যাঙ্কুভারে বসবাসরত দুইজন প্রবাসী বাংলাদেশি, রফিকুল ইসলাম ও আবদুস সালাম, জাতিসংঘের তৎকালীন মহাসচিব কফি আনানের কাছে একটি প্রস্তাব পাঠান। তারা তাকে অনুরোধ করেন যাতে ২১শে ফেব্রুয়ারিকে আন্তর্জাতিক মাতৃভাষা দিবস হিসেবে ঘোষণা করা হয়। তারা আরও উল্লেখ করেন যে এই সিদ্ধান্ত বিশ্বব্যাপী বিলুপ্তপ্রায় ভাষাগুলো সংরক্ষণে ভূমিকা রাখবে এবং সকল ভাষাকে সম্মান জানাবে। তাদের যৌক্তিক প্রস্তাবনার ভিত্তিতে বাংলাদেশ সরকার দ্রুত উদ্যোগ গ্রহণ করে এবং ইউনেস্কোতে আনুষ্ঠানিক প্রস্তাব প্রেরণ করে। শেষ পর্যন্ত, ১৯৯৯ সালের ১৭ই নভেম্বর, ইউনেস্কো ২১শে ফেব্রুয়ারিকে আন্তর্জাতিক মাতৃভাষা দিবস হিসেবে ঘোষণা করে। এখন দিনটি প্রতি বছর বিশ্বব্যাপী ভাষাগত ও সাংস্কৃতিক বৈচিত্র্য এবং বহুভাষিকতার প্রতি সচেতনতা বৃদ্ধির জন্য উদযাপিত হয়।

1. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives.
2. When is the Independence Day of Bangladesh celebrated?

(i) 21st February
(ii) 16th December
(iii) 26th March
(iv) 14th April
Ans: (iii) 26th March

2. What is observed every year on 21st February in Bangladesh?

(i) Independence Day
(ii) National Day
(iii) Shaheed Dibosh
(iv) Victory Day
Ans: (iii) Shaheed Dibosh

3. What is the main purpose of observing 21st February?

(i) To celebrate the Independence Day
(ii) To remember the language martyrs of 1952
(iii) To honor the freedom fighters
(iv) To commemorate the victory in the 1971 war
Ans: (ii) To remember the language martyrs of 1952

4. Where do people gather to pay tribute to the martyrs on 21st February?

(i) National Museum
(ii) Liberation War Memorial
(iii) Shaheed Minar
(iv) Independence Monument
Ans: (iii) Shaheed Minar

5. What do people wear while participating in the processions on 21st February?

(i) White dresses
(ii) Black badges
(iii) Traditional attire
(iv) Red badges
Ans: (ii) Black badges

6. What kind of songs are sung during the mourning processions?

(i) Patriotic songs
(ii) National anthem
(iii) Mourning songs
(iv) Folk songs
Ans: (iii) Mourning songs

7. Where do people place wreaths to honor the martyrs?

(i) At the National Museum
(ii) At the Liberation Memorial
(iii) At the Shaheed Minar
(iv) At the Azimpur graveyard
Ans: (iii) At the Shaheed Minar

8. Where do many people visit to pray for the martyrs?

(i) National Library
(ii) Azimpur graveyard
(iii) Dhaka University campus
(iv) Central Shaheed Minar
Ans: (ii) Azimpur graveyard

9. Which organization declared 21st February as International Mother Language Day?

(i) United Nations
(ii) UNESCO
(iii) WHO
(iv) UNICEF
Ans: (ii) UNESCO

10. When did UNESCO declare 21st February as International Mother Language Day?

(i) 17 November 1999
(ii) 20 December 1999
(iii) 21 February 2000
(iv) 5 June 1998
Ans: (i) 17 November 1999

11. Who proposed the idea to UNESCO to declare 21st February as International Mother Language Day?

(i) Kofi Annan
(ii) Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
(iii) Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam
(iv) Mohammad Ali Jinnah
Ans: (iii) Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam

12. Where were the two Bangladeshis who proposed the idea living at the time?

(i) New York, USA
(ii) London, UK
(iii) Vancouver, Canada
(iv) Paris, France
Ans: (iii) Vancouver, Canada

13. What was the main reason for proposing 21st February as International Mother Language Day?

(i) To honor the language martyrs of Bangladesh
(ii) To promote multilingualism
(iii) To celebrate the cultural diversity of Bangladesh
(iv) To recognize the role of Bangla in the world
Ans: (i) To honor the language martyrs of Bangladesh

14. Which United Nations official received the proposal for International Mother Language Day?

(i) Ban Ki-moon
(ii) Kofi Annan
(iii) António Guterres
(iv) Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
Ans: (ii) Kofi Annan

15. What was the effect of the government’s decision regarding 21st February after the protests?

(i) The government declared Urdu as the national language
(ii) The government had to declare Bangla as the state language
(iii) The government banned the use of Bangla
(iv) The government introduced English as the state language
Ans: (ii) The government had to declare Bangla as the state language

16. Which event was considered the climax of the Language Movement?

(i) 21st February 1952
(ii) 26th March 1971
(iii) 16th December 1971
(iv) 14th April 1952
Ans: (i) 21st February 1952

17. What action did the students of Dhaka University take on 21st February 1952?

(i) They organized a hunger strike
(ii) They wrote letters to the government
(iii) They held a peaceful protest procession
(iv) They performed plays in the streets
Ans: (iii) They held a peaceful protest procession

18. Where did the police open fire on the students in 1952?

(i) Dhaka University
(ii) Near Dhaka Medical College
(iii) At the Shaheed Minar
(iv) In front of the National Museum
Ans: (ii) Near Dhaka Medical College

19. Who were the first martyrs of the Language Movement?

(i) Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Khondaker Mostaq
(ii) Rafiq, Salam, Barkat, Jabbar, and Safiur
(iii) Kazi Nazrul Islam and Rabindranath Tagore
(iv) Nirmalendu Goon and Akhter Hossain
Ans: (ii) Rafiq, Salam, Barkat, Jabbar, and Safiur

20. What did the language movement ultimately lead to?

(i) The declaration of English as the state language
(ii) The introduction of a new language policy
(iii) The establishment of Bangla as the state language
(iv) The separation of East Pakistan
Ans: (iii) The establishment of Bangla as the state language

21. Which country was Bangladesh a part of during the Language Movement?

(i) India
(ii) Pakistan
(iii) Sri Lanka
(iv) Myanmar
Ans: (ii) Pakistan

22. What was the main focus of the protests during the Language Movement?

(i) Economic rights
(ii) Political freedom
(iii) Language rights
(iv) Religious freedom
Ans: (iii) Language rights

23. What did the people of Bangladesh want to establish through the Language Movement?

(i) English as the state language
(ii) Urdu as the state language
(iii) Bangla as the state language
(iv) Multilingualism as the national policy
Ans: (iii) Bangla as the state language

24. What was the government’s initial response to the Language Movement?

(i) They declared Bangla as the national language
(ii) They outlawed public meetings and rallies
(iii) They supported the students’ demands
(iv) They granted language rights immediately
Ans: (ii) They outlawed public meetings and rallies

25. What event sparked the language protests in 1948?

(i) A speech by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
(ii) The declaration of Urdu as the sole state language
(iii) The independence declaration of Pakistan
(iv) The arrival of the Governor-General in Dhaka
Ans: (ii) The declaration of Urdu as the sole state language

26. How did the people of Bangladesh protest after the police shooting in 1952?

(i) They organized a general strike
(ii) They held violent protests
(iii) They protested with peaceful rallies
(iv) They wrote petitions to the United Nations
Ans: (iii) They protested with peaceful rallies

27. Which day is now celebrated worldwide as International Mother Language Day?

(i) 21st March
(ii) 21st February
(iii) 17th November
(iv) 14th December
Ans: (ii) 21st February

28. What is the theme of International Mother Language Day?

(i) To promote human rights
(ii) To promote linguistic and cultural diversity
(iii) To celebrate national independence
(iv) To honor the martyrs of the language movement
Ans: (ii) To promote linguistic and cultural diversity

29. What was the ultimate outcome of the Language Movement in Bangladesh?

(i) Bangla was declared the official language
(ii) English was made the medium of instruction
(iii) Urdu was removed as the official language
(iv) Bengali was made the sole language of Pakistan
Ans: (i) Bangla was declared the official language

30. What did the martyrs sacrifice their lives for in the Language Movement?

(i) Economic justice
(ii) Political independence
(iii) Establishing Bangla as a state language
(iv) Social equality
Ans: (iii) Establishing Bangla as a state language

31. What led to the declaration of 21st February as International Mother Language Day?

(i) Protests by Bangladeshi students
(ii) A letter from the government of Bangladesh
(iii) A proposal by two Bangladeshi expatriates
(iv) Support from other Asian countries
Ans: (iii) A proposal by two Bangladeshi expatriates

32. What did the proposal for International Mother Language Day aim to protect?

(i) Linguistic and cultural diversity
(ii) Political freedom
(iii) Economic growth
(iv) International peace
Ans: (i) Linguistic and cultural diversity

33. What is the significance of 21st February for Bangladesh?

(i) It marks the beginning of the independence struggle
(ii) It honors the martyrs of the language movement
(iii) It is the day of Bangladesh’s formation
(iv) It is the day the first constitution was signed
Ans: (ii) It honors the martyrs of the language movement

34. Which event is commemorated by International Mother Language Day?

(i) The signing of the independence agreement
(ii) The sacrifices of language martyrs
(iii) The end of the British Raj
(iv) The first use of Bangla in official communication
Ans: (ii) The sacrifices of language martyrs

35. What role did Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam play in the movement for International Mother Language Day?

(i) They were political leaders
(ii) They were university students
(iii) They proposed the idea to UNESCO
(iv) They led the 1952 protests
Ans: (iii) They proposed the idea to UNESCO

36. In which year did UNESCO declare 21st February as International Mother Language Day?

(i) 1998
(ii) 2000
(iii) 1999
(iv) 2001
Ans: (iii) 1999

37. What did the protests in 1952 primarily aim for?

(i) The freedom of East Pakistan
(ii) The recognition of Bangla as the state language
(iii) The independence of Bangladesh
(iv) The election of a new government
Ans: (ii) The recognition of Bangla as the state language

38. What was the government’s reaction to the peaceful procession in 1952?

(i) They negotiated with the students
(ii) They opened fire on the protesters
(iii) They declared a public holiday
(iv) They released political prisoners
Ans: (ii) They opened fire on the protesters

39. What was the impact of the shooting on the movement?

(i) It ended the protests
(ii) It sparked nationwide protests
(iii) It led to the independence of Bangladesh
(iv) It strengthened the military rule
Ans: (ii) It sparked nationwide protests

40. Why is 21st February significant for linguistic diversity?

(i) It celebrates the diversity of cultures in Bangladesh
(ii) It honors all world languages
(iii) It recognizes the value of multilingualism
(iv) It marks the founding of the United Nations
Ans: (iii) It recognizes the value of multilingualism

41. Who were the first martyrs of the language movement?

(i) Politicians of East Pakistan
(ii) Students protesting for language rights
(iii) Freedom fighters from the Liberation War
(iv) Leaders of the Bengal Renaissance
Ans: (ii) Students protesting for language rights

42. What role did the Language Movement play in the history of Bangladesh?

(i) It sparked the fight for independence
(ii) It ended colonial rule in Bangladesh
(iii) It established a democratic government
(iv) It created a common language policy
Ans: (i) It sparked the fight for independence

43. What did the United Nations hope to achieve by declaring 21st February as International Mother Language Day?

(i) Promote peace
(ii) Honor language martyrs
(iii) Celebrate cultural diversity
(iv) Support economic development
Ans: (iii) Celebrate cultural diversity

44. Which two expatriates proposed 21st February to be declared as International Mother Language Day?

(i) Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam
(ii) Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon
(iii) Rafiq and Jabbar
(iv) Salam and Mujib
Ans: (i) Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam

45. What action did Bangladesh take after the proposal for International Mother Language Day was sent?

(i) They immediately declared 21st February as a holiday
(ii) They sent an official proposal to UNESCO
(iii) They started celebrating the day nationwide
(iv) They formed a language protection committee
Ans: (ii) They sent an official proposal to UNESCO

46. Which global body recognized the importance of 21st February?

(i) United Nations
(ii) UNESCO
(iii) World Bank
(iv) IMF
Ans: (ii) UNESCO

47. What message does International Mother Language Day convey?

(i) Peace and harmony among nations
(ii) Importance of preserving native languages
(iii) Promotion of economic growth
(iv) Protection of human rights
Ans: (ii) Importance of preserving native languages

48. In which year did the Language Movement reach its climax?

(i) 1948
(ii) 1952
(iii) 1960
(iv) 1971
Ans: (ii) 1952

49. What happened after the police opened fire on the students?

(i) The government immediately declared Bangla the state language
(ii) The students gained political power
(iii) There were mass protests all over the country
(iv) The movement was suppressed
Ans: (iii) There were mass protests all over the country

50. What did the declaration of 21st February as International Mother Language Day honor?

(i) The history of Bangladesh’s independence
(ii) The role of language in society
(iii) The contributions of Bengali poets
(iv) The global recognition of Bangla
Ans: (ii) The role of language in society

1. Answer the following questions.
2. When is the Independence Day of Bangladesh celebrated?
3. Why is 21st February observed as Shaheed Dibosh?
4. What is the main purpose of observing 21st February every year in Bangladesh?
5. Where do people go to pay tribute to the martyrs on 21st February?
6. Who are the martyrs commemorated on 21st February?
7. What do people wear during the processions on 21st February?
8. Why do people wear black badges on 21st February?
9. Where do people place wreaths on 21st February to honor the martyrs?
10. What kind of songs do people sing during the mourning processions on 21st February?
11. Which graveyard do many people visit on 21st February?
12. Who declared 21st February as International Mother Language Day?
13. When did UNESCO declare 21st February as International Mother Language Day?
14. Who proposed the idea to UNESCO for declaring 21st February as International Mother Language Day?
15. Where were the two Bangladeshi expatriates living when they proposed the idea to UNESCO?
16. What was the reason behind proposing 21st February as International Mother Language Day?
17. What did the two Bangladeshi expatriates hope to achieve by declaring 21st February as International Mother Language Day?
18. What did the government of Bangladesh do after the proposal for International Mother Language Day was sent to UNESCO?
19. What happened on 21st February 1952 that led to mass protests?
20. Who were the first martyrs of the Language Movement in Bangladesh?
21. How did the students of Dhaka University protest on 21st February 1952?
22. What was the government’s initial response to the Language Movement?
23. Why did the police open fire on the students during the Language Movement?
24. How did the shooting of the students impact the Language Movement?
25. What did the government do after the protests of 21st February 1952?
26. What sparked the protests in 1948 regarding language rights in Pakistan?
27. What language did Mohammad Ali Jinnah declare as the sole state language in 1948?
28. What was the final outcome of the Language Movement?
29. What day did the United Nations officially recognize as International Mother Language Day?
30. What message does International Mother Language Day convey to the world?
31. How does UNESCO encourage the promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity through International Mother Language Day?