RIYADH — The great Martyrs Day and International Mother Language Day has been observed at the Embassy of Bangladesh in Riyadh with a number of events with fervor and solemnity. In the afternoon, a discussion meeting by the participation of the UN, OIC, members of diplomatic corps in Riyadh was organized followed by cultural performances by the children.

Secretary General of Saudi Arabia National Commission for education, culture and science Mr. Hattan bin Samman attended the event as the chief guest. UN Resident Coordinator (AI) Mr. Ibrahim Al Ziq, OIC Director General for Cultural, Social and Family affairs Ms. Amina Al Hajri joined the program as special guests. Dean of the Diplomatic corps and Djibouti Ambassador, Ambassador of Philippines, India, Sri Lanka also spoke at the discussion as special guests as well. Ambassador of Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia Dr. Mohammad Javed Patwary BPM (Bar) in his welcome speech mentioned the sacrifices of the heroic martyrs of the language movement of 1952 for preserving and upholding the rights of the mother language. The Ambassador also said, many languages are disappearing from the world along with the relevant cultural heritage. He called upon all to come forward for the protection of languages.

Speakers of the event emphasized the importance of learning in mother language to protect the language and to promote cultural diversity. They cautioned about the scarcity of technological support for multilingual education. They called upon all to promote cultural heritage as well as maintain cultural diversity by increasing the practice of languages by the respective communities. The speakers lauded Bangladesh's contribution for the recognition of 21st February as the International Mother Language Day.

The students from Bangladesh International School and Indian International School in Riyadh performed dance and a chorus. Forty-five diplomats including nine Ambassadors attended the event. A documentary on the Day and a song in different languages were displayed.

In the morning, Ambassador Patwary hoisted the national flag half-mast. Afterwards the Ambassador with officials paid homage to the language martyrs at the make-shift Shaheed Minar at the Embassy premises. The community people and different organisations and institutions laid wreaths as well. The messages of the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs issued on the occasion were read out by the officials of the embassy followed by a discussion event with the participation of community members. There, the Ambassador called upon the expatriates to work from their respective sides in the spirit of the language movement of 1952 and the Great Liberation War of 1971 to uphold and promote the country image and to come forward to build the Golden Bengal dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He called upon the expatriates to make Bangladesh a high-income country by 2041 as envisaged by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

At the end of the discussion a special prayer was offered for the welfare of the nation as well as for the salvation of the souls of language martyrs.