Dear Ekushey

Abdul Hye

We have waited for your graceful arrival over last eleven months. Every year we do it. You are so dear, so special to us. But please be assured, the warmth of the love that you have been showering on us since 1952, keeps us invigorated all along, even when you are not around.

You have blessed us with the freedom of speaking our mother tongue. You had, under the influence of your magic spell, united us in our struggle to hold high the green and red, to free our dear motherland from foreign subjugation. We are grateful to you, dear Ekushey.

Have you been depressed lately? Do you find it oppressing when you see us failing in our promise to use the precious gift of yours in our schools, offices and in business? Trust us, we are aware of our promise to you, and we, late though, will establish it in every sphere our life. There are some betrayers among us, they were there in the past, and they will be there in future. They still think there is less religion in Bangla then there is in Urdu. Speaking Urdu, for them is a pious act. It is ridiculous, and they will be defeated soon by our united effort.

Dear Ekushey you carry immortality in millions of our hearts, immortality vibrates in our songs. Your presence pervades all in our “Shabuj Bangla”. Peasants sing freedom that you so generously bestowed on us. We feel your never exhausting inspiration in the millions of sailors who sail in innumerable rivers across our beloved land. You are an unforgettable taste of date- juice in the cold winter morning. You are a festival in rural cottages when new harvests arrive.

Dear- you are the comfort of morning sunshine in our bedrooms. You are a day of remembrance. We hear your care-free strolls in the Boi mela. You add ecstasy to the Baishakhi mela in rural Bangla. You are there in the vast green expanses to play with the wind and create great green waves over the corn fields. You display your absorbing and captivating tunes in the flutes of the shepherds who take shelter under the trees to cool down from exorbitant sunshine. You are an exuberance in the innocent fun and games of our children.

Ekushey, you have given us so much. There is no way we can pay you back. But rest assured that our gratitude is never ending, it will be there as long as the sun-shines in our dear motherland. Your contribution to forming a nation that continues to march forward will be always remembered with due solemnity. The hope that you cultivated in our hearts back in 1952, is still luxuriant, getting stronger as days are passing. The recognition of our people as Bangladeshi has attained acceptance beyond borders. You are globally remembered, celebrated and showered with praises. You are an invisible presence in our land and beyond. You are an encouraging and comforting presence in our national life.

You add impetus to our cheers in the stadium when our country brings glory by over powering foreign nations in football and cricket. You join us when we scream our hearts out to beef up the spirit among our footballers and cricketers. You strengthen our aspirations to build a Digital Bangladesh. The new generation take their first lesson of Patriotism from your honest revelation of the history about our language movement and eventual liberation of our country.

You are a forceful resistance against injustice and all wrong doings. You are always available beside an oppressed, to protect him, to help him stand solid against the oppressors. You make us feel the necessity of such a social order as will guarantee rights of all, and peace and tranquility everywhere.

Dear Ekushey, your arrival occurs at a time when the scorching heat of the sun stays away. The pleasant weather allows outdoor festivals. Sports, picnic and cultural shows add warmth to the season. We remember you in all our activities.

Your visit once every year is received with applause and colourful festivals. You come to remind us of our promise. You tell us what mistakes we have made and you put us in the right track. Our gratitude to you is profound. We are overwhelmed by your all noble contributions.

Ekushey, you have taught us to dream, to dream about a prosperous Bangladesh free from hunger, corruption and injustice. The global recognition of our mother tongue is all your credit. You have also established yourself as an “International Mother Language Day”. This is a great honour for us, for our language and for the nation as a whole. This is a day to remember and show respect to those who made the supreme sacrifice for establishing the right to speak our mother tongue.

Bangla is our medium of expressing thoughts and feelings. It is a priceless gift from you. You are an epitome of our national grace and integrity. Together with you, we are a single entity, you are inseparable. We sing your praise today, we will do it tomorrow and forever.

Mohammad Abdul Hai is Principal, ABC International School, Narayangonj.