Ekushey February — History, Date & Significance

On February 21, 1952, students of Dhaka University defied a government ban on assembly to demand that Bangla be recognized as a state language of Pakistan. Police opened fire on the procession near the Dhaka Medical College, killing Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar, and others. Their sacrifice galvanized the Language Movement, which secured state-language status for Bangla in 1956 and sowed the seeds of Bengali nationalism that led to independence in 1971.

The Shaheed Minar — first built overnight by students at the spot of the killings and rebuilt after repeated demolitions — stands as the movement’s enduring monument. In 1999, UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day, honoring the martyrs of 1952 and the language rights of people everywhere. Ekushey is observed as Shaheed Dibosh (Martyrs’ Day), a national holiday of mourning and pride.