Hundreds of people from all walks of life including leaders of different political parties, socio-cultural-professional and students’ bodies today paid glowing tributes to Abdul Matin, a veteran of the historic Language Movement of 1952, placing wreaths on his coffin at the central Shaheed Minar.
Cabinet members, leaders of political parties and prominent personalities also paid glowing tributes to the late leader of the historic language movement.
Later, body of the late language movement hero was handed over to Dhaka Medical College authority by the wife of the late leader Gulbadan Nesa Monika for use in medical purposes. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) with the assistance from Sammilito Sangskritik Jote organised the homage-paying ceremony at the central Shaheed Minar.
On behalf of BSMMU vice-chancellor Prof Prangopal Datta and pro-vice-chancellor Prof Md Shahidullah initiated the homage paying ceremony.
Leaders of the ruling Awami League led by its presidium member and Health Minister Mohammad Nasim placed wreaths on the coffin of Abdul Matin at the central Shaheed Minar when his coffin was taken there at about 12:00pm from the mortuary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital.
Awami League (AL) presidium member Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, AL organising secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, deputy office secretary Mrinal Kanti Das, AL central working committee member Sujit Roy Nandi and former AL lawmaker Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin were present, among others.
Talking to reporters after placing a wreath there Mohammad Nasim paid glowing tributes to language movement veteran Abdul Matin and said, “He was a wealthy treasure of the state. The state and its people won’t forget his courageous role and immense contributions starting from the historic Language Movement to all the national movements.”
The minister said at the instruction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina the language movement hero was extended with all the state level treatment facilities at BSMMU.
Abdul Matin breathed his last at BSMMU at 9:00am on Wednesday due to various health complications, undergoing treatment there for nearly two and a half months.
Later, Mohammad Nasim led the Awami League-led 14-party alliance in placing another wreath on the coffin of the late hero of the Language Movement. Samyabadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) general secretary Sharif Nurul Ambia and its central leader Shirin Akhter, MP and Ganatantri Party general secretary Nurul Rahman Selim, were present, among the leaders of the alliance.
On behalf of BNP, its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and central leaders Moyeen Khan, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Moazzem Hossain Alal placed wreath on his coffin.
CPB president Mujahidul Islam Selim and among Abdul Matin’s comrades in the language movement Ahmed Rafique, Raushan Ara Bachchu, Abdul Gafur and Shamsul Huda paid deep homage to the late national hero placing wreaths on his coffin.
Deep homage also was paid to Abdul Matin by prominent personalities including Prof Anisuzzaman, Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, Rafiqul Huq, Prof Abdul Mannan, Iqbal Arsalan, journalists Golam Sarwar, Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Abu Sayeed Khan, Prof Shamsuzzaman Khan, Liaquat Ali Lucky, Lt Gen (Retd) KM Shifiullah, artist Hashem Khan, Amir-ul-Islam, Prof Emazuddin Ahmed, Pankaj Bhattacharjee, Fakir Alamgir, Pijush Banerjee, Liala Hasan, Fakir Alamgir, Ataur Rahman, Enamul Huq, M Hamid, Monayem Sarker, Prof Mahfuza Khanam, Col (retd) Shawkat Ali, Mamunur Rashid, Nasir Uddin Yusuf Bachchu, Golam Kuddus and Hasan Arif.
Earlier, the coffin containing the body of the late student leader and a hero of the historic Language Movement was taken first to “Aamtala” (mango grove) on the premises of Dhaka Medical College where police opened fire at the orders of Pakistani dictators on a procession of agitating students and people on February 21 in 1952 that claimed lives scores of students including Salam, Barquat, Rafique and Jabber.
Abdul Matin was one of the student leaders and forerunners of the historic Language Movement who participated in the procession demanding recognition of mother tongue Bangla as the state language of Pakistan.
Source: Prothom Alo
