-Mohammad Nurul Huda : This is the Ekushey day-recalling the 21st of February The day when a stirred-up race erupted incandescently And till now, that day in Bengali minds shines brilliantly. It's a day for morning processions and bare-feet walks For crimson-lined white saris and pinned black badges For grieving people with bosoms bearing history's burdens.
The day is all about the mother tongue and mother earth's gifts It is all about promoting harmony and humanity's happiness And reminding people everywhere about loving languages.
This is the day when all mothers won-their children as well A day of condolence meets, silence and of victory eternal Ekushey is the day of victors and of champions one can tell. Ekushey is the day when Bengalis witnessed a spring mutiny It's the day when Barkat and Salam were killed cold-bloodedly But the day when revolutionary hearts could take fire eternally.
Ekushey is all about fatherly affection and motherly love It's the day when brothers wear shawls their sisters' think of Ekushey is a spring day crimsoned in the blood-red of Bhador.t
Ekushey is when freedom came through a language for which blood was spilled A day when independence came to a nation in whose people compassion flowed It's the day when egalitarianism became in the hearts of all people the proper creed.
tBhador is the first month of autumn symbolizing the loneliness of a person who is missing his beloved.
Translation: Fakrul Alam 21st February - our identity’s core -Hasan Hafiz
Ekushey-you’re the day when passions flamed and made history You’re the bountiful sky glowing with comet-like daring You don’t belong only to Bengalis anymore; this precious gift Bestowed from blood spilled from love of one’s mother tongue Is now for the world’s people; it’s the gift of indomitable youths Who sacrificed their lives for civilization, Ekushey- Your auspicious immortal melody is no longer the possession Or heritage of Bengalis alone! Even in far-off Sierra Leone In another part of the globe, one can hear your melody In the ankle bells of its belles. The Bengali language’s classy cadences Resound in newfound cultural pride. A sacrifice made at great cost Now inspires others speaking other neglected mother tongues. A once slighted but invincible language has ascended to glory, Step by step, self-propelled, through movements and a liberation war Fluttering of stringed dotaras, shapla flowers and doyel birds And fierce roars came together to drive the tyrant to oblivion. Ekushey is in truth the name of a freely-flowing river And it's this truth that we’ve been able to etch worldwide. You enable languages spoken even by tiny communities to flourish, Spread, be respected and conserved. You provide inspiration To rebel against tyrants; you offer succor for one’s identity formation.