The Embassy of Bangladesh in Beijing commemorated 21 February Shaheed Day and International Mother Language Day—with due respect and solemnity on Friday. Embassy officials, members of the Bangladeshi expatriate community, and Chinese guests participated spontaneously in the day’s events.
The first part of the observance began in the morning, as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to China, Md. Nazmul Islam, laid a floral wreath at the temporary Shaheed Minar on the embassy premises in the presence of officials and staff.
The second session was held in the afternoon at the embassy auditorium. Following a recitation from the Holy Qur’an, a minute of silence was observed in memory of the language martyrs. Messages from the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh were then read out.
A special discussion session was held to mark the day, where Professor Tong Yuchen, former faculty member of the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China, and Yu Kuang Yue Anandi, Director of the Bangla Department of China Media Group (CMG), delivered speeches in fluent Bengali. Both speakers highlighted the significance of the Language Movement, the global relevance of International Mother Language Day, and the importance of preserving linguistic diversity. Notably, both have worked for many years to promote the Bengali language in China.
Professor Tong Yuchen noted that Bengali is no longer a regional language; it has evolved into one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. He described the Bengali language and its people as “a noble language and a great nation.”
CMG Bangla Director Yu Kuang Yue Anandi remarked, “International Mother Language Day carries profound significance not only for Bangladesh but also for China and the entire world. For Bangladesh, it is the foundation of national identity; for China, it is equally meaningful, as China is a multi-ethnic and multilingual nation that prioritises the protection of minority languages and cultural diversity.”
Expressing pride in learning and practicing Bengali, Anandi added,
“This beautiful language has not only allowed me to read the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam, but has also built a bridge connecting me to the hearts of the Bangladeshi people.”
Ambassador Md. Nazmul Islam, in his remarks, paid deep tribute to the language martyrs who sacrificed their lives to uphold the dignity of the Bengali language. He said that the Language Movement of 1952 laid the foundation of Bengali national consciousness, which later evolved into the movement for self-determination and ultimately led to the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. He urged expatriate Bangladeshis to uphold the respect and dignity of their mother tongue and thus contribute to enhancing Bangladesh’s image abroad. He also stressed the importance of learning Chinese and other foreign languages alongside Bengali.
The program concluded with a special prayer seeking eternal peace for the language martyrs and wishing peace and continued prosperity for the nation.
Source: Hashim-Anandi, China Media Group.