Prime Minister Tarique Rahman paid tribute to the language martyrs at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka at 12:01 a.m. on February 21, 2026, marking International Mother Language Day and Shaheed Day. After placing a floral wreath, he turned toward the Qibla and offered a special prayer seeking forgiveness for the souls of the martyrs.

According to the report, this is the first time in Bangladesh’s history that a head of government has offered a prayer immediately after laying a wreath at the national monument. The act took place following the traditional ceremony of paying homage to the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement, which is commemorated annually on February 21.

The event underscored the significance of the day in Bangladesh’s national identity and reflected a new gesture of reverence by the country’s top leadership during the observance of the historic occasion.