On tour around Bangladesh

Published February 22, 2012
A Bangladeshi decorates the Shaheed Minar, or martyrs mausoleum, on International Mother Language Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. International Mother Language Day is observed in commemoration of the movement where a number of students died in 1952, defending the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. ?AP Photo
A Bangladeshi decorates the Shaheed Minar, or martyrs mausoleum, on International Mother Language Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. International Mother Language Day is observed in commemoration of the movement where a number of students died in 1952, defending the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. ?AP Photo
Bangladeshi youth decorate the Central Language Martyrs' Memorial monument at Dhaka University in Dhaka on February 21, 2012, to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
Bangladeshi youth decorate the Central Language Martyrs' Memorial monument at Dhaka University in Dhaka on February 21, 2012, to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
Bangladesh Central Language Martyrs' Memorial monument is decorated with flowers at Dhaka University in Dhaka on February 21, 2012, to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
Bangladesh Central Language Martyrs' Memorial monument is decorated with flowers at Dhaka University in Dhaka on February 21, 2012, to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
Bangladeshi youth decorate the Central Language Martyrs' Memorial monument at Dhaka University in Dhaka on February 21, 2012, to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
Bangladeshi youth decorate the Central Language Martyrs' Memorial monument at Dhaka University in Dhaka on February 21, 2012, to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
Bangladeshis pay tribute to language movement martyrs on International Mother Language Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, February 21, 2012. International Mother Language Day is observed in commemoration of the movement where a number of students died in 1952, defending the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. ?AP Photo
Bangladeshis pay tribute to language movement martyrs on International Mother Language Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, February 21, 2012. International Mother Language Day is observed in commemoration of the movement where a number of students died in 1952, defending the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. ?AP Photo
Bangladeshis hold letters of the Bangla language and participate in a rally to mark International Mother Language Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012.  International Mother Language Day is observed in commemoration of the movement where a number of students died in 1952, defending the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Banner reads "we pay homage to language martyrs." ?AP Photo
Bangladeshis hold letters of the Bangla language and participate in a rally to mark International Mother Language Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. International Mother Language Day is observed in commemoration of the movement where a number of students died in 1952, defending the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Banner reads "we pay homage to language martyrs." ?AP Photo
Bangladeshi children participate in a Bangla handwriting competition on International Mother Language Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. International Mother Language Day is observed in commemoration of the movement where a number of students died in 1952, defending the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. ?AP Photo
Bangladeshi children participate in a Bangla handwriting competition on International Mother Language Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. International Mother Language Day is observed in commemoration of the movement where a number of students died in 1952, defending the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. ?AP Photo
Bangladeshi fine arts students paint on the street in front of the Shahid Minar, language movement mausoleum, in Dhaka on February 20, 2012, as part of preparations for the forthcoming Language Martyrs Day and International Mother language Day. Language Martyrs Day is marked in Bangladesh to commemorate those who died during protests on February 21, 1952 against the then Pakistani states governments decision to name Urdu as the national language, despite East Pakistan's (Now Bangladesh) Bengali speaking majority. ?
Bangladeshi fine arts students paint on the street in front of the Shahid Minar, language movement mausoleum, in Dhaka on February 20, 2012, as part of preparations for the forthcoming Language Martyrs Day and International Mother language Day. Language Martyrs Day is marked in Bangladesh to commemorate those who died during protests on February 21, 1952 against the then Pakistani states governments decision to name Urdu as the national language, despite East Pakistan's (Now Bangladesh) Bengali speaking majority. ?
A strand of hair, believed to be from the beard of Prophet Muhammad, is seen through a magnifying glass as it is presented to Bangladeshi Muslims at the National Mosque in Dhaka on February 21, 2012. The relic which was displayed to Bangladeshis was on loan from the Turkish Cultural Centre.  ?AFP Photo
A strand of hair, believed to be from the beard of Prophet Muhammad, is seen through a magnifying glass as it is presented to Bangladeshi Muslims at the National Mosque in Dhaka on February 21, 2012. The relic which was displayed to Bangladeshis was on loan from the Turkish Cultural Centre. ?AFP Photo
A vendor sells toys for children in a fare in Dhaka February 18, 2012. ? Reuters Photo
A vendor sells toys for children in a fare in Dhaka February 18, 2012. ? Reuters Photo
People pay their respect at a replica of the Dhaka University Central Language Martyrs' Memorial in Kolkata on February 21, 2012, as part of celebrations for Language Martyrs Day. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
People pay their respect at a replica of the Dhaka University Central Language Martyrs' Memorial in Kolkata on February 21, 2012, as part of celebrations for Language Martyrs Day. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
Bangladeshi Muslims form long lines to catch a glimpse of a strand of hair, believed to be from the beard of Prophet Muhammad, outside the National Mosque in Dhaka on February 21, 2012. The relic which was displayed to Bangladeshis was on loan from the Turkich Cultural Centre. ?AFP Photo
Bangladeshi Muslims form long lines to catch a glimpse of a strand of hair, believed to be from the beard of Prophet Muhammad, outside the National Mosque in Dhaka on February 21, 2012. The relic which was displayed to Bangladeshis was on loan from the Turkich Cultural Centre. ?AFP Photo
Bangladesh Central Language Martyrs' Memorial monument is decorated with flowers at Dhaka University in Dhaka on February 21, 2012, to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
Bangladesh Central Language Martyrs' Memorial monument is decorated with flowers at Dhaka University in Dhaka on February 21, 2012, to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
Bangladeshi youth decorate The Central Language Martyrs' Memorial monument at Dhaka University in Dhaka on February 21, 2012, to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
Bangladeshi youth decorate The Central Language Martyrs' Memorial monument at Dhaka University in Dhaka on February 21, 2012, to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Bengali Language Movement. This marks 60 years since the police fired at thousands of protesters at a university in Bangladesh demanding that Bengali be declared the state language. The deaths marked the start of a nearly two-decades-long struggle for Bangladesh which ended in victory in the 1971 independence war with Pakistan. ?AFP Photo
A Bangladeshi fine arts student paints on a wall in front of the Shahid Minar, language movement mausoleum, in Dhaka on February 20, 2012, as part of preparations for the forthcoming Language Martyrs Day and International Mother language Day. Language Martyrs Day is marked in Bangladesh to commemorate those who died during protests on February 21, 1952 against the then Pakistani states governments? decision to name Urdu as the national language, despite East Pakistan's (Now Bangladesh) Bengali speaking majority. ?A
A Bangladeshi fine arts student paints on a wall in front of the Shahid Minar, language movement mausoleum, in Dhaka on February 20, 2012, as part of preparations for the forthcoming Language Martyrs Day and International Mother language Day. Language Martyrs Day is marked in Bangladesh to commemorate those who died during protests on February 21, 1952 against the then Pakistani states governments? decision to name Urdu as the national language, despite East Pakistan's (Now Bangladesh) Bengali speaking majority. ?A

This gallery comprises of images from various parts in Bangladesh where the International Mother Language Day is observed in commemoration of the movement where a number of students died in 1952, defending the recognition of Bangla as a state language of the former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh; along with protests and much more.— Photos by Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

Weathering the storm
Updated 29 Apr, 2024

Weathering the storm

Let 2024 be the year when we all proactively ensure that our communities are safeguarded and that the future is secure against the inevitable next storm.
Afghan repatriation
29 Apr, 2024

Afghan repatriation

COMPARED to the roughshod manner in which the caretaker set-up dealt with the issue, the elected government seems a...
Trying harder
29 Apr, 2024

Trying harder

IT is a relief that Pakistan managed to salvage some pride. Pakistan had taken the lead, then fell behind before...
Return to the helm
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Return to the helm

With Nawaz Sharif as PML-N president, will we see more grievances being aired?
Unvaxxed & vulnerable
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Unvaxxed & vulnerable

Even deadly mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and malaria have vaccines, but they are virtually unheard of in Pakistan.
Gaza’s hell
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Gaza’s hell

Perhaps Western ‘statesmen’ may moderate their policies if a significant percentage of voters punish them at the ballot box.