8 HC directives to protect sanctity, dignity of Shaheed Minar
Central Shaheed Minar. PhotO: Shawkat Jamil
The High Court yesterday issued eight directives upon the government to protect sanctity and dignity of the Central Shaheed Minar that was set up to maintain the spirit of the Language Movement and pay tribute to its heroes. The HC bench of Justice Md Momtazuddin Ahmed and Justice Naima Haider came up with the directives following a writ petition filed as public interest litigation by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB). The bench ordered the government to set up Shaheed Minars at the premises of all universities and other educational institutions across the country to show respect to the memories of the language heroes. It directed the authorities concerned to set up a museum along with a library at any side of the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka and take effective measures so that no unsocial activities take place there. The bench also asked the government to take effective steps so that no function or meeting can be held at the original Bedi (main part) of the Minar. However, there would be no embargo on holding any function outside the original Bedi. The HC ordered the government to form a committee for preparing a list of language heroes and publish it in a gazette notification by January 31, 2012. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has been asked to appoint three security guards to protect the area of the Minar. The bench also directed the government to honour the language heroes, both dead and alive, with posthumous and other awards for their contribution to the movement. The court ruled that the government would provide financial support to the language heroes if they apply for such assistance. It asked the government to publish brochures containing the history of the language movement both in Bangla and English to distribute those among the visitors to the country. The government was also asked to invite the language movement heroes in all state programmes and ensure all governmental facilities for them. The secretaries to the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, Dhaka mayor, Dhaka University vice-chancellor, chief engineer and chief architect of the public works department have been made respondents to the HC verdict. Advocate Asaduzzaman Siddiquee filed the writ on behalf of HRPB on February 7 this year stating that the 21st February is observed every year as International Mother Language Day, and the sanctity and honour of the Central Shaheed Minar are maintained for that day only. On other days the Minar is used by the people in different ways and its honour and dignity and memories of the language heroes are undermined, the petitioner said. The HC on February 9 issued a rule upon the respondents to explain why they should not be directed to take appropriate measures to protect sanctity and honour of the Minar and set up a museum on its premises so that visitors can learn the history of the Language Movement of 1952. Advocate Manzill Murshid appeared for the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Mostafa Zaman Islam represented the government.
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