It was a visual delight when several renowned theatre personalities and artists launched a day-long cleanliness campaign in Dhaka on Wednesday by sweeping the Central Shaheed Minar area with a broom in hand.

"As one of the most prominent and remarkable monuments in Bangladesh, which was at the centre-front of our glorious Language Movement in 1952, Central Shaheed Minar reminds us of our love and sacrifice for our mother tongue. The monument should be kept clean all the time," said Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) chief Liaquat Ali Lucky, inaugurating the event.

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"Besides Dhaka, we are holding similar programmes in all the districts with the help of local Shilpakala Academy branches and artistes," said Liaquat Ali, also the founder of the People’s Theatre Association (PTA) that had jointly organised the day-long cleanliness campaign, a cultural event and an art camp at the Central Shaheed Minar with BSA.

On the Academy’s upcoming events marking the International Mother Language Day, Lucky said, "BSA will organise a programme at the Central Saheed Minar every month from now on, and we will arrange a light and sound show at the monument in February aimed at portraying the history of the country's language movement."

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Jamal Ahmed, Biren Shome, Fazlur Rahman Bhutan, Syeda Mahbuba Karim Mini, Shahjahan Ahmed Bikash, Kiriti Ranjan Biswas, Karu Titas, Farzana Islam Milki, Farhana Afroz Bappi, Kabir Ahmed Masum Chisti, Farzana Ahmed Urmi, Rashed Sukhon, Sujon Mahbub and Nur Munjerin Rimjhim participated at the art camp and created artworks depicting the language movement and International Mother Language Day.

At the art camp, veteran artist Biren Shome made a painting depicting people placing floral wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar with three birds in flight in the background. Jamal Ahmed created a work depicting founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Syeda Mahbuba Karim Mini made a painting portraying the language movement, showing revolutionaries holding rallies with placards demanding Bangla as the state language in 1952.

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Artistes from BSA also presented enthralling cultural performances, while Bangladesh Shishu Acrobatic Dol entertained the audience by performing a stunning display of balance and tricks.

At the event, Shamima Chowdhury Alis recited poems on the language movement, followed by BSA Baul troupe's presentation of folk songs. Child artistes of the Academy presented a production, titled ‘Jonmo Shoto Borshe Jatir Pita', comprising songs and dance, written and directed by Liaquat Ali Lucky.