Ninth-grader Sharmin Khatun is very happy as the authorities have built a Shaheed Minar at her madrasa and the students can place flowers there on Language Martyrs' Day. 

The authorities of Bonwarinagar Senior Dakhil Madrasa in Faridpur upazila headquarters have erected the Shaheed Minar as part of a project to build one in every educational institution of the district.

"To arouse the spirit of the Language Movement among the students, we have ordered the upazila nirbahi officers (UNO) of nine upazilas to take steps so that all the educational institutions build Shaheed Minars on their premises," said Pabna Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rekha Rani Balo.

The district administration has fixed October 31 to complete construction of Shaheed Minars in 2,800 educational institutions, the DC added.

A month ago there were only four permanent Shaheed Minars in Faridpur upazila, and now there are 118, thanks to the local administration.

Faridpur UNO Md Tofayel Hossain said, "Each institution spent between Tk 25,000 to Tk 50,000, which came from the school fund and contributions by local people. Construction is finished, now decoration is going on. We expect to inaugurate all the newly built Shaheed Minars next month."

Faridpur Upazila Parishad Chairman Md Khalilur Rahman, also president of the upazila education committee, said most of the students in his upazila could not pay homage to the martyrs of the Language Movement due to the absence of Shaheed Minars, but that has changed.

Khalilur said the village students are happy now as they will be able to place flowers on the Shaheed Minars to commemorate the martyrs of the Language Movement.

Headmaster of Kashipur Government Primary School Rehana Parvin said the children observe February 21 at the temporary Shaheed Minar in the village, but now they can place flowers on the Shaheed Minar in the school.

This is the lone Shaheed Minar in Kashipur village, and the villagers feel proud that they have built it, she added.

Md Saidul Islam of Rautnagar village said the Shaheed Minar built in the primary school of the village highlights the spirit of the Language Movement, the first democratic movement that led to our independence, so they feel proud of it.