Thousands of people barefoot and singing paid homage to the Language Movement martyrs of 1952 in Dhaka with the clock striking a minute past midnight to mark a day of supreme sacrifice.

Following Unesco's November 17, 1999 declaration of February 21 as the International Mother Language Day, 188 countries across the globe observe the day to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education and raise awareness of cultural traditions based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.

On this day in 1952, students and the general public in Dhaka took to the streets in protest against the then government's denial of Bangla as the national language and imposition of Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan.

Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Shafiur, Jabbar and many others sacrificed their lives as the then Pakistani rulers ordered firing on the agitation.

The brave children of the soil established mother tongue Bangla as a state language through shedding their blood.

The protest sparked on February 21, 1952 progressed into the long-drawn struggle that eventually led to the birth of Bangladesh.

Bangla -- also the only language in the world over which there has been bloodshed.

I dont know, I think its like fighting to make Mexican the national language of America... Something Id resist, and thus be on the wrong side of in your history lesson Taja.