The Ambassador, accompanied by limited number of staff members from the Embassy, paid homage to the memory of the Language Martyrs by laying floral wreath at the permanent Shaheed Minar (monument to commemorate those killed during the Bengali Language Movement demonstrations of 1952) located in the Campo dos Mártires da Pátria park in Lisbon.

Later that day, following pandemic related restrictions and maintaining social distancing, the was an event at the Embassy to commemorate Martyrs’ Day and the International Mother Language Day. At the outset of the programme, one-minute silence was observed to pay tribute to the martyrs of the language movement. Messages released from the Banladeshi President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Foreign affairs were read out.

In a speech, Ambassador Tarik Ahsan paid profound tribute to the Language Martyrs. He recognised that the supreme sacrifice by the martyrs established the recognition of Bangla as one of the state languages of then Pakistan. “It is the Bangalee nationalism which finally laid the foundation of the independent Bangladesh” he noted. The Ambassador called upon expat Bangladeshis to highlight the the Bangla language and culture to the the world. He also urged the younger generation to practice Bangla language and culture.

At the end of the day, the Ambassador and the guests joined in a special prayer