Silchar: Thousands of people from different parts of the Barak Valley took part in a massive rally in Silchar on Tuesday to observe Language Martyrs’ Day, popularly known as Unishey May or Bhasha Shahid Diwas. The grand procession was organised to pay tribute to the eleven language martyrs who sacrificed their lives on May 19, 1961, during the movement demanding recognition of Bengali as an official language in the Barak Valley.

The procession began at 7 am from the historic Silchar Railway Station, where eleven satyagrahis were killed in police firing during the language movement. Carrying banners, placards and festoons, participants marched through different parts of the town raising slogans in memory of the martyrs and stressing the importance of protecting one’s mother tongue.

The rally concluded at the Silchar crematorium, where the martyrs were cremated following the tragic incident in 1961.

Speaking on the occasion, Kanad Purkayastha said the people of the Barak Valley would never forget the sacrifices of the language martyrs. He said observing the day every year was important, but merely remembering the martyrs on May 19 would not fulfil the larger purpose.

According to him, the younger generation should be made aware of the significance of the day and the sacrifices made for the protection of the Bengali language. He expressed hope that such processions would help spread awareness among the people.

Rajdeep Roy recalled the tragic events of May 19, 1961, when eleven persons lost their lives during the language movement in Silchar. He said the people of the Barak Valley have always wanted to remain with Assam though their mother tongue is Bengali.

Praising the government for introducing the three-language policy under the National Education Policy, he stressed the importance of education in one’s mother tongue. He also urged the younger generation to preserve and respect their language and culture.

Dr Roy further said they would continue to monitor the issue regarding the proposed renaming of Silchar Railway Station as Bhasha Shahid Station.

Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha said the sacrifices of the eleven language martyrs would never be forgotten. He noted that participation in the observance of May 19 has increased significantly over the years and added that the day unites the people of the Barak Valley.

He also praised Himanta Biswa Sarma for supporting the observance and safeguarding the identity and dignity of Bengali-speaking people in the state.

Kaushik Rai described May 19 as a significant day for the people of the region. He said it was encouraging to witness such a huge turnout in the rally and stressed that the younger generation should attach greater importance to their mother tongue and understand the historical significance of the day.

Former Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty said that since childhood he had witnessed the deep respect and emotion people of the Barak Valley hold for the language martyrs. He said the observance symbolises the struggle to protect the identity and rights of the Bengali-speaking community.

Among others present during the programme were district BJP president Rupam Saha, social worker Swarnali Chowdhury, Abhrajit Chakraborty and Sumana Das.