Despite more than 70 years passing since the Language Movement in 1952, a staggering 73% of educational institutions in Satkhira still do not have a permanent Shaheed Minar, reveals recent data.
In commemoration of International Mother Language and Martyrs’ Day, makeshift Shaheed Minars are hastily assembled, or neighboring schools step in to pay homage when an institution lacks one.
While there is an official directive mandating a permanent Shaheed Minar in every educational institution to honor the language soldiers, a multitude of factors, including insufficient funds, has hindered compliance, according to teachers.
Sources from the Satkhira District and Primary Education Officer report 1,732 primary and secondary level educational institutions in the district. Shockingly, only 458 have a Shaheed Minar. Among secondary and higher secondary institutions, 293 out of 639 lack a Shaheed Minar, and in primary schools, a mere 112 out of 1,093 have one. This means over 73% of primary and secondary level educational institutions in Satkhira are without a permanent Shaheed Minar.
Residents like Abu Saeed from Parandaha village lament the absence of a Shaheed Minar in his school, prompting locals to construct a temporary one for Language Day observance.
Feroz Hossain, a teacher at Baropota Government Primary School, echoes the sentiment of missing Shaheed Minars, leading students and teachers to pay respects at neighboring higher secondary school altars.
Responding to the situation, Satkhira District Primary Education Officer Hosne Yasmin Karimi acknowledges that out of 1,093 primary schools, only 172 have a Shaheed Minar. Financial constraints force the remaining institutions to construct temporary altars for Language Day celebrations.
Despite official instructions to build Shaheed Minars with local assistance, financial crises have hindered the progress, preventing the construction of these monuments in all institutions, said Karimi.
As February approaches, teachers and students resort to makeshift Shaheed Minars made of wood, bamboo, banana trees, and white paper to commemorate International Mother Language Day and Martyrs’ Day. However, this practice impedes students’ understanding of the language’s significance and hampers proper honor for the language martyrs.
Satkhira District Education Officer Shahjahan Kabir notes that 293 out of 639 secondary and higher secondary educational institutions lack a Shaheed Minar, prompting instructions from the District Education Office for their construction.
