<i>Spot named after language hero now 3-wheeler stand</i>
Left: INSOLENCE UNFORGIVABLE! Mahabub Ahmed Khan Smrity Mancha, the lone set-up in memory of a language hero in Ishwardi rail station area under Pabna district, is being used as a stand for three-wheelers for years. Photo: Star Right: Language heroes, top from left: Aminul Islam Badsha, Rawshan Jan Chowdhury, Ranesh Maitra and bottom from left: Goura Chandra Sarkar, Lutfar Rahman, Mahabub Ahmed Khan,
The Language Movement heroes in Pabna district are yet to get any state recognition for their glorious role while 'Mahabub Ahmed Khan Smrity Mancha', the lone establishment after the name of a language hero on Ishwardi rail station premises, is being used as a stand for auto tempos (motorised three-wheelers). “After my father's death in 1987, the Ishwardi municipality authority set up 'Mahabub Ahmed Khan Smrity Mancha' in Ishwardi rail station area in 1988. But auto tempo men have kept the stage occupied for years,” said JM Khan, elder son of Mahabub Ahmed Khan. Asked about the matter, Ishwardi municipality Mayor Mokhlesur Rahman Bablu said, “We are trying to shift the stand from the stage but this is not possible right now because there is no other alternative place. We will repair the stage soon." Asked how programmes are held while the stage is under occupation of three-wheeler owners, president of Ishwardi Tempo Owners Association Md Anwar Hossain said, "When municipality authorities give notice to our organisation we request our drivers to leave the stage for the programme." “This is unfortunate that the young generation are yet to know the name of Mahabub Ahmed Khan although his contribution to Language Movement has been depicted in several books. It is our duty to keep his memory as well as that of other heroes in the area alive,” said freedom fighter Fazlur Rahman Fantu, also a cultural organiser in Ishwardi upazila. Taking a leading role in the language movement in 1948, Mahabub Ahmed Khan was imprisoned for four years till 1952. In protest against the then Pakistan parliament's refusal to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages, a protest meeting chaired by the then Muslim League leader Dewan Lutfar Rahman was held on Pabna town hall premise on February 27 in 1948. 'Rashtra-Bhasha Sangram Parishad, Pabna' headed by him was formed at the meeting. Late Aminul Islam Badhsa (former central leader of Gonotontri Party) and Mahabubur Rahman were selected as joint convener of the parishad while Mahabub Ahmed Khan was the vice president. Violating Section 144 imposed by the district administration students as well as cross sections of people observed hartal and brought out a protest procession from Pabna Edward College. Then police charged batons and arrested the joint secretary of Sangram Parishad Aminul Islam Badsha along with 40 people from the procession. Several hartals, processions and protest meetings were observed in March 1948, strengthening the language movement in Pabna. On March 10, police arrested five more leaders including Mahabub Ahmed Khan. Most of them were kept in jail till 1952. But the movement continued. “Protesting the killing of a few participants of Language Movement in Dhaka in police firing on February 21 in 1952, we called hartal on February 22 in Pabna,” said columnist Ranesh Maitra, also a participator of the Language Movement. "Language veterans Kamal Lohani, Shajahan Mahamud, Abdul Momin Talukdar, Joynul Abedin, Anwarul Haque along with some other veterans organised the protest procession from Pabna Edward College when the police intercepted and arrested 8/10 activists. “It is a matter of sorrow that most of the language veterans of Pabna passed away without getting any recognition from the state. We urge the government to give state recognition to the heroic sons of Language Movement,” the language veteran said. “My brother Aminul Islam Badsha died without getting state recognition although he borrowed imprisonment from 1948 to 1952 for participating in the Language Movement. We, the members of the families of language veterans, have taken initiative to organise a reception to the language heroes of Pabna,” said Md Robiul Islam Robi, brother of late Aminul Islam Badsha.
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