Dhaka, Feb 21: Bangladesh today is paying glowing tributes to the Language Movement martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Bangla- the mother tongue in 1952 .
By paying tributes the country thus is observing the 60th Martyr's Day to commemorate the Language movement martyrs through various program all over Bangladesh. For the past few years the Day is also being observed as International Mother Language Day to show respect to the sacrifices of Bengali  language movement.  
President Zillur Rahman led the nation in paying tributes to the Language Movement martyrs by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar at one minute past midnight lastnight. He was was followed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the immortal song on Amar Ekushey 'Amar Bhayer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February' was on play.
Opposition leader and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia also placed wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar paying homage to the martyrs of the Language Movement.Stringent security measures have been taken in and around the Central Shaheed Minar on the occasion.
On this day 60 years ago several people including students of Dhaka University were killed in the city by police firing while demanding Bangla, mother tongue of majority population of Pakistan as one of the state languages of the Islamic state. Pakistan eventually accepted the demand of making Bangla as one of the state languages .
Language movement in course of time became the rallying point for all seeking democratic rights and became the main inspiration to wage movement for establishing an independent nation for all-round development of the population including enriching the language.  
The wreath laying which started midnight last is going on uninterrupted throughout the day as stream of people  both as individual and members of group, political party and association forming queue to pay respects to the martyrs. Besides ministers and lawmakers , the chiefs of the three services, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the UN organizations also placed wreaths. Witness said thousands of barefoot people from all walks of life were thronging Shaheed Minar to pay tribute to the Language Movement martyrs.
On this day in 1952, students and people from all strata of society took to the streets in Dhaka to protest the then Pakistan government's refusal to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages and imposition of Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan. The day has since been observed as the Language Martyrs Day, which the UNESCO later declared as the International Mother Language Day.
The Pakistan government was ultimately compelled to include an article in the country's constitution on February 29, 1956 that declared, "The state languages of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali."
On November 17, 1999, the UNESCO declared February 21 as the International Mother Language Day. Countries across the globe have been observing the day since then to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education and raise awareness of cultural traditions based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.
President  Rahman, Prime Minister Hasina and Leader of the Opposition Begum Zia in their separate messages on the occasion of Amar Ekushey, International Mother Language Day, felicitated the Bangla-speaking people and others around the world.PM Hasina yesterday informed that efforts are on to make Bangla as one of the official language of the United Nations.
It is estimated that the number of people having Bangla as their mother is around 30 crore  around the world..Besides Bangladesh, West Bengal  and Tripura states of India there is a sizeable number of Bangla speaking people who live in Middle East, U.K and North America .
The day is a public holiday. The national flag is being hoisted at half-mast atop all government, autonomous and private buildings.
State owned Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and satellite TV channels are airing special programs on the occasion and newspapers brought out special supplement marking the significance of the day in national and international life.