Do you know the exact number of how many of our heroes sacrificed their lives for the Bangla language in 1952? The answer might be:  NO! 

From the very childhood, we read the textbook history of 1952 and joined the barefoot processions to honor the valor martyrs of 1952. On this day, the song–”Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano Ekushey February, Ami Ki Bhulite Pari” (Can I forget the twenty-first of February, incarnated by the love of my brother?) buzzing in the air. But sadly, we forgot our brothers!

Not everyone, we can name five Shaheeds: (martyred) Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar and Shafiur who among others were martyred during the Feb 21 protest. But one thing is unclear – Who are the ‘others’?

Even after 72 years (2024-1952), there is no complete list of martyrs. 

During the events of February 21 and 22, 1952, the then Pakistan government opened fire and killed ‘many’ to tame the bottled-up anger of the Bangalees, which flared up after Jinnah's declaration that Urdu will be the only official language.

Since then, every February 21 has been etched into the collective memory as ‘Shaheed Dibosh’—Martyrs Day or Language Movement Day. In 1999, UNESCO bestowed global recognition, designating it “International Mother Language Day.

The history of this movement was documented in the first memorandum, published in March 1953. Its publisher, Mohammad Sultan, the founding president of the East Pakistan Student Union. The editor, Hasan Hafizur Rahman, lent ink to the truth. Within its pages, Kabir Uddin Ahmed wrote an article titled ‘Ekusheyr Khatanpunji’:

“The martyrs’ bodies were carried away from the medical college hospital, shrouded in conspiracy. And as dawn broke, a sea of people surged toward the news office, their anger aflame. The military, heedless, aimed their rifles at the procession before the press office. The toll was heavy.”

The publication ‘Sainik’ witnessed the events on that Saturday, February 23, 1952. Its news section reported: police fired at students who gathered at the medical college hostel on Thursday, killing seven and injuring three hundred. But the Daily Azad told a different story, saying that nine people died during the violent days of February 21 and 22.

Calcutta based newspaper Daily Anandabazar claimed that nine people died on February 21. However, this number was disputed by many sources, including Pakistan's exiled writer Lal Khan, who claimed that 26 people died and 400 were injured in his book "Pakistan's Other Story: The Revolution in 1968-69", published in Lahore in 2008.

Oli Ahad, an organiser of the Language Movement, said that the exact number of casualties on Feb 22 at Victoria Park (now Bahadur Shah Park), Nawabpur Road and Bangshal Road was unknown. Ahmad Rafiq, in his book "Ekush Theke Ekattor", named Abdul Awal, Kishore Ahilyaullah and Sirajuddin among the victims. Kabir Uddin Ahmed, who wrote an article on "Ekushey History" for the "Ekushey February" compilation edited by Hassan Hafizur Rahman, confirmed the death of eight people. Based on this, MR Akhtar Mukul listed eight language martyrs: Rafiquddin Ahmad, Abul Barkat, Abdul Jabbar, Abdus Salam, Shafiqur Rahman, Abdul Awal, Ahualullah and an unidentified boy.

Of these, only five were officially recognised as Language Martyrs by the government and awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2000. They were Abul Barkat, Abdul Jabbar, Rafiquddin Ahmad, Abdus Salam and Shafiur Rahman. Barkat and Jabbar were Dhaka University students, Rafiq was the son of the owner of Badamtali Commercial Press, and they all died on Feb 21, 1952. Salam, a rickshaw puller, and Shafiur, a High Court employee, died the next day. Ahualullah and Abdul Awal, who also died on Feb 22, 1952, were mentioned as Language Martyrs on the website of the International Mother Language Institute, as well as Salahuddin, who died on Feb 21. However, they were not officially acknowledged.

The true number of Language Martyrs remains a mystery to this day, and will be lost to the future generations if the government does not reveal the accurate information. The people of this country and culture deserve to know the truth about this crucial event in their history.