Members of the family of late President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia paid deep respect to the language martyrs at the Central Shaheed Minar in the early hours of International Mother Language Day.

Shortly after 12:01 AM on Saturday (February 21), Tarique Rahman placed a floral wreath at the altar of the Shaheed Minar. He was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter, Barrister Zaima Rahman.

Following the floral tribute, the family members stood in solemn silence for one minute as a mark of respect to the heroes of the 1952 Language Movement.

They later participated in a special prayer (munaajat), seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of the martyrs and the continued welfare of the nation.

Sequence of Tributes
The state observance followed a structured protocol at the stroke of midnight:

The Presidency: President Mohammed Shahabuddin led the nation’s tribute by placing a wreath at 12:01 AM.

The Prime Minister: Tarique Rahman first paid tribute individually as Prime Minister, followed by a second tribute with members of his Cabinet and party leaders.

Reception: The Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University received the President and the Prime Minister upon their arrival. Various ministers, ministers of state, and high-ranking officials were in attendance.

Opposition and Institutional Honors
The first hour of Ekushey also saw participation from a broad spectrum of the political landscape:

11-Party Alliance: Leaders of the 11-party alliance offered their respects, led by the Leader of the Opposition and Jamaat Ameer, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, alongside other alliance MPs.

National Citizen Party (NCP): Opposition Chief Whip and NCP Convener Nahid Islam also placed a floral wreath.

Security & Academia: The Chiefs of the three services and the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, along with professionals from various sectors, joined the thousands gathering to honor the linguistic heritage of the nation.