Dhaka, Feb. 21 -- Chhayanaut has observed International Mother Language Day with an ornate morning of song, verse and reflection in Dhaka, blending remembrance with a quiet assertion of cultural pride.

The programme was held at 10:30am on Saturday at the Chhayanaut Cultural Centre auditorium in Dhanmondi.

Speaking on behalf of the organisation, its President Sarwar Ali said the seeds of a "secular" state were sown through the Language Movement, and it was along that path that 1971 arrived.

He said the people of this country remain indebted to the martyrs of 1952, whose sacrifice enabled Bengalis to claim their identity with pride.

Sarwar added that the martyrs of the Language Movement authored the birth story of the independent state ...