Dhaka, Feb. 21 -- Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury has paid his respects to the 1952 Language Movement martyrs on International Mother Language Day.

He laid a wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar at 6am on Saturday, according to a media statement.

The Supreme Court confirmed that the chief justice was accompanied by judges from the Appellate Division and High Court Division.

They stood in solemn silence for a few moments as a mark of respect to the memory of the language martyrs.

On Feb 21, 1952, police opened fire on students and activists demanding that Bangla be recognised as a state language of then Pakistan.

Abdus Salam, Abdul Jabbar, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abdul Barkat, Shafiur Rahman and others were killed in the crackdown. ...