Ekushey February: History, Date & Significance
Ekushey February, Shaheed Dibosh, remembers those killed in the Language Movement of 1952. UNESCO later recognised the date as International Mother Language Day. Just after midnight people walk barefoot to the Shaheed Minar with flowers, and the Ekushey Book Fair runs through the whole month.
Ekushey February 2027: Date
- English Date
- Sunday, February 21, 2027
- Bengali Date
- 8 Falgun 1433
- Hijri Date
- 13 Ramadan 1448 AH
- Days Left
- 139 days
History of Ekushey February
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 first Shaheed Minar was built overnight by students at the spot where the killings took place. It was pulled down more than once and rebuilt each time, and it stands today as the monument of the movement. In 1999 UNESCO declared 21 February International Mother Language Day, in honour of the martyrs of 1952 and of everyone's right to their own language. Ekushey is observed as Shaheed Dibosh, Martyrs' Day, a national holiday of mourning and pride.
How Ekushey February Is Celebrated
- Barefoot probhat feri processions to the Shaheed Minar from the first minute of February 21, singing “Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano”
- Laying flowers at the Central Shaheed Minar and shaheed minars across the country
- The national flag flown at half-mast on all government buildings
- The month-long Ekushey Book Fair (Amar Ekushey Boi Mela) at Bangla Academy
- Alpona street paintings, black badges, and cultural programs honoring the language martyrs
Ekushey February Dates for the Next 5 Years
| Year | Date | Day | Bengali Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* | February 21, 2027 | Sunday | 8 Falgun 1433 |
| 2028* | February 21, 2028 | Monday | 8 Falgun 1434 |
| 2029* | February 21, 2029 | Wednesday | 8 Falgun 1435 |
| 2030* | February 21, 2030 | Thursday | 8 Falgun 1436 |
| 2031* | February 21, 2031 | Friday | 8 Falgun 1437 |
* Dates for coming years are calculated and may change when the government announces its holiday list.
Frequently Asked Questions
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