DHAKA, Feb 14, 2022 (BSS) - President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh 
Hasina in separate messages today wished success of the 'Amar Ekushey Book 
Fair-2022' scheduled to begin on Bangla Academy premises tomorrow.

   The President and the Prime Minister paid their rich tributes to the 
martyrs of the historic Language Movement on the occasion of Amar Ekushey 
Book Fair.

   In his message, Abdul Hamid said the Amar Ekushey Book Fair has already 
turned into a major programme and festival of the Bengalis as it helps to 
flourish our education, culture and history.

   "I pay my deep respects to the memory of the immortal martyrs in the great 
language movement on the eve of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair," said the 
President.

   "Amar Ekushey Book Fair is an integral part of Bengali culture. Every year 
during the month of February, the book fair organized by Bangla Academy 
creates a unique awakening among the writers, readers, cultural activists and 
people from different walks of life," he said.

   "We achieved the much desired independence in 1971, under the leadership 
of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, for the liberation 
and overall development of all people irrespective of class, profession, 
religion and caste," said the President.

   In 2021, the Bengali nation celebrated the birth centenary of Bangabandhu 
and the golden jubilee of independence, he said. 

   He thinks that this year's theme of Ekushey Book Fair, 'Birth Centenary of 
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Golden Jubilee of 
Independence' is very much appropriate.

   He wished the overall success of 'Amar Ekushey Book Fair and Programmes-
2022'.

   In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted all, including Bangla 
Academy and local and foreign publishers, involved in arranging the 'Amar 
Ekushey Book Fair'.

   "On this day, I pay due respect to the memories of the all Language 
Movement martyrs, including Salam, Barkat, Rafique, Jabber and Shafique. I 
also pay profound tributes to the leader of the Language Movement Bangabandhu 
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and all language veterans," she said.

   Referring to the Awami League government's contributions in declaring the 
February 21 as International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999, the 
premier said, "I have already raised a demand in the United Nations (UN) 
General Assembly for declaring Bangla as an official language of the UN".

   "We have established the 'International Mother Language Institute' in the 
capital Dhaka aiming at protecting, flourishing and practicing all mother 
languages of the world," she continued.

   Noting that on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu, Bangla 
Academy is publishing 100 books on the life and works of Bangabandhu in 
phases, Sheikh Hasina said the academy already has 40 books.

   "I firmly believe the young generations will be able to know Bangabandhu 
properly and thus they would be able to build themselves," she added. 

   Pointing that book fair awakens the human being's existence, sense of 
living and spirit, the Prime Minister urged the writers and publishers to 
uphold the real history of the Language Movement and Liberation War through 
their writings.

   Calling upon all to develop the habit of reading books, Sheikh Hasina 
said, "It should be our pledge that we would work together for building a 
hunger-poverty-free and happy-prosperous 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by father 
of the nation".