Obaidul Quader wants Bangla among official UN languages

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Tuesday demanded to make Bengali one of the official languages of the United Nations.

“Let the spirit of Amar Ekushey inspire the fight against the anti-liberation forces,” he said.

Obaidul Quader made the comment after paying tribute to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement by placing wreaths at Central Shaheed Minar marking ‘Amar Ekushey’ and the International Mother Language Day and Shaheed Dibosh.

Awami League has taken a two-day programme on the occasion. The programme includes - Wreath laying at the Central Shaheed Minar at 12.01 am on Monday night following the tributes paid by the president and prime minister.

National and party flags are lowered at half-mast and black flags hoisted at the central office of Awami League, Bangabandhu Bhaban and all of the unit offices of the organisation across the country at 6:30 am today.

Black badge bearing, wreath laying and paying respects at language Heroes’ graves and Central Shaheed Minar at Azimpur Cemetery with ‘Probhat Pheri’ (a bare-foot march in the morning) started from the south gate of New Market.

A discussion of Awami League will be held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on the occasion of International Mother Language Day at 3 pm on Wednesday. Awami League president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the event.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier paid the homage by placing wreaths at the Central Shahid Minar at one minute past midnight.

They stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the language heroes.

Flanked by cabinet members and senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League, later placed another wreath at the Shaheed Minar on behalf of the party.