At midnight today, people from all walks of life will walk barefoot to the Shaheed Minars across the country and place wreaths as a mark of respect to those who sacrificed their lives on the day, 53 years ago.

The home ministry has taken strong security measures in and around the Central Shaheed Minar area against the backdrop of the recent spate of bomb and grenade attacks on political and cultural programmes and NGO offices.

Some 7,000 members of law-enforcement agencies, equipped with sophisticated weapons, will be deployed at strategic points in the capital during the placing of wreaths by various organisations and individuals at the Shaheed Minar.

Over 1,500 Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members divided into 96 teams will be deployed in and around the Shaheed Minar and adjoining areas to keep watch on the crowd and ward off any untoward incident.

A group of the anticrime elite force will patrol the area on motorbikes and will keep informing their makeshift control room at Shaheed Minar round-the-clock. Rab members will also patrol the area on pickup vans.

Besides, 40 dog squads of Rab will be on duty to check explosives.

Close circuit cameras will be installed at the exit and entry points and Rab intelligence wing will use sophisticated digital spy cameras, sources said.

On this day in 1952, the students of Dhaka took to the streets in protest against the then rulers' denial to give Bangla the status of a state language and imposition of Urdu as the only state language of Pakistan.

Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar and many others embraced martyrdom when the police opened fire on the procession upon the orders of the then government.

The protests that sparked off on February 21, 1952 led to the long-drawn-out nationalist movements that achieved the recognition of Bangla as a state language in 1956, and eventually the birth of Bangladesh in 1971.

One hundred and eighty-eight countries across the globe are also joining Bangladesh to observe the 21st February following UNESCO's recognition of the day as the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999.

President Iajuddin Ahmed will lead the nation in paying homage to the language martyrs by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar as the clock strikes one minute past midnight. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will follow the president.

In his message on the eve of the Amar Ekushey, the president said, "The language movement has a far reaching significance in our national life and the national awakening out of self-imbued spirit has taken international shape today."

The prime minister in her message urged all patriotic citizens to come forward with the spirit of Ekushey to face an unholy nexus of conspiracy, terrorism, vandalism and propaganda against Bangladesh.

Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina also issued a message urging people from all walks of life to unite against all repression and resist the forces of darkness.

The Dhaka University authorities, which supervise the Ekushey programmes, yesterday said all the ways leading to the Central Shaheed Minar except the one from Doel Chattar will remain closed from 8pm tonight till 3pm on 21st February.

The day is a public holiday and the national flag will be kept half-mast atop government, autonomous and private buildings and educational institutions.

The Shaheed Minar and its surroundings have been given a facelift to mark the occasion. Different roads, road-dividers and islands have been decorated with festoons inscribed with Bangla alphabets and national flags.

In observance of the day, the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Awami League, Left Democratic Front, 11-party alliance, Jatiya Party and other political parties and their front organisations have undertaken elaborate programmes.

A month-long book fair is being held on the Bangla Academy premises commemorating the month of language movement.