Feb 21st is a national holiday called Mother Language Day. In 1952 when Pakistan wanted to make Urdu their official language some people protested and were killed, thus also called 'Language Martyrs Day'. Bengali language is highly esteemed here and these people are recognized each year for dying for their language. This started the Bangladesh independence movement that came to be in 1971 (formerly known as East Pakistan).
Since it was a day off at the college, I was able to attend a celebration at the high school. This included all the kids ~ 750 from the primary and secondary schools run by AOB (Association of Baptists, known as ABWE in Canada).
Organizing 750 kids
The kids paraded barefoot (sign of respect) around the Bazaar (town), and mainroad, around the schoolgrounds of primary school back to the highschool. Traffic was stopped for this.
Staff members from the hospital remembering - notice the flag at half mass. The flag is green with a red dot in the middle to signify the bloodshed of these individuals.
Kids parading back to the highschool.
All the kids picked flowers laying them at this memorial at the hospital.
National anthem
Kids with the alphabet and flags painted on their faces.
Primary school on the compound - Grades 1-5
The first day after I arrived I got a tour around the compound and these little Grade 1 students sang a song for me...so cute!
MK - Missionary kids school on the compound for the families here.
1 comment:
It looks like you are having a good time in Bangladesh, Jolene. It's so interesting to hear about the different celebrations that other countries have. God bless!
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