Speakers at a discussion recognized the potential role that multilingual education can play in transforming education for all. Speaking in their respective mother languages, they highlighted the critical importance of including native languages in the education system worldwide. The discussion was held on February 21, marking International Mother Language Day, at the UN headquarters for the 7th consecutive year. The Permanent Mission of Bangladesh, Denmark, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Morocco and Timor-Leste jointly organized the event in partnership with the UN Secretariat and UNESCO. The President of the 77th Session of the General Assembly Csaba Kőrösi attended the event as the chief guest. Like last year, the day was observed with interpretation services in all six official languages of the United Nations – enabling the distinguished speakers to deliver their remarks in their mother languages. The theme song of the International Mother Language Day (“Amar bhai-er rokte rangano”) was presented by the Sri Chinmoy Group. Read more: International Mother Language Day: Tribute from UN in Bangladesh in many languages The event featured musical performances from United Nations Chamber Music Society, Sneh Art of India and flute performance by Shilpakala Academy USA Inc. The event was telecast live on the U Web TV. Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN, Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, paid homage to the language martyrs for upholding the dignity of Bangla in 1952, and to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for his organizing role in the Language Movement and leading subsequent national movements culminating to Bangladesh’s independence in 1971. He recalled with gratitude the role of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in securing UNESCO’s recognition of February 21 as the International Mother Language Day and also in establishing the International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka. Ambassador Muhith thanked UNESCO for choosing this year’s theme: “Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education”. Multilingual education inclusive of mother-tongue based learning can play an instrumental role in transforming the education system by underlining the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity, relevance of learning to learners’ lives and mutual understanding, he added. The Permanent Representative of Cuba in his capacity of the Chair of the Group of Friends on Spanish language and Chair of the NGO Committee on Languages also spoke at the event. The President of the General Assembly and all the other speakers thanked Bangladesh for its leadership in promoting multilingualism and mother languages at the UN.  Earlier in the morning the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh observed the Martyrs Day and the International Mother Language Day with due solemnity at the mission’s premises. The Permanent Representative and the mission officials laid wreaths at the Shaheed Minar established in the mission. During the event, the messages of the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs were delivered.

In a historic judgment today, the High Court said that from now on, mothers will be recognised as legal guardians of students in official documents. The High Court bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil pronounced the judgment. After hearing on January 16, the court fixed January 24 for delivering the verdict on whether mothers will be recognised as legal guardians or not. Advocate Ainun Nahar Siddiqua, Advocate SM Rezaul Karim and Advocate Ayesha Akhter stood for the petitioner at the court while Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta represented the state. Read more: HC issues rule on migration system in admission process According to the lawyers, a female SSC examinee from Thakurgaon was denied admit card in 2007 as she could not mention her father's name in the information form which is required before participating in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination. The girl grew up with her mother after her father left them without giving them recognition. Later, on August 2, 2009, three human rights organizations — Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and Nari Paksha — jointly filed a writ petition citing public interest. On August 3 of the same year, the High Court bench of Justice Syed Refat Ahmed and Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury issued a rule asking why this discriminatory provision, which is an obstacle to human rights, equality and especially the right to education, should not be declared as contrary to law and unconstitutional. Read more: HC issues rule on compensation for daily labourers jailed by mobile court The court also ordered submitting a report on the education boards where mentioning both father’s and mother’s names is compulsory in getting the registration cards for the SSC examinations and what kind of measures are taken to ensure participation of those eligible examinees in the examination who are unable to mention the identity of their fathers. Later on June 6, 2021, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) filed a supplementary affidavit in court on behalf of the petitioners.

The mother of two children, who were burnt to death in a closed house in Sadar upazila of the district on Monday morning, was arrested in this connection from the capital’s Kakrail area on Tuesday. She was identified as Purnima. Monwar Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said an intelligence team led by Sub Inspector Tanmoy Mondal arrested her from the capital and brought back to the police station. The children—Mithu and Manob--were burnt to death at the closed house at Jhikarhati village of the upazila. They were aged between one and two. Read more: Arrest warrants issued against BNP's Rizvi, Ishraque Mother Purnima and their grandmother went out of the house putting the door of the house under lock and key in the morning. Someone noticed smoke billowing from the house and when neighbours broke open the door, they found the children’s charred bodies inside. Though the reason behind the fire could not be known immediately, Purnima and her mother fled the area soon after the incident. Read more: Jubo Dal president, VP arrested while returning from Rajshahi rally Later, the victims’ aunt Ratna Rani filed a case in this connection.  

A mother has passed 2022 Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams alongside her son at Sultanpur village in Khanmorich union under Pabna’s Bhangura upazila. The woman has been identified as Monjuara Khatun, wife of Abdur Rahim, a van driver. Monjuara’s education was disrupted due to getting married at an early age. She resumed her studies after some 20 years, while in the process of educating her two children. Family members credit her sheer willpower for her success in SSC exams. Monjuara has obtained GPA 4.93 out of 5 from Shamima Jafar Fisheries Institute in the district’s Tarash upazila, while her son Mehedi Hasan has received GPA 4.89 from the vocational department of Bhangura’s BM School and College. Read: SSC Results 2022: 2,975 institutions achieve 100% pass rate, none passed from 50 “I couldn’t study much as my parents married me off 20 years ago, due to acute poverty. I was interested in education once again, seeing my children study. Without my husband’s immense support, I couldn’t have succeeded in SSC,” said an ecstatic Monjuara.   Monjuara added that she wants to study up to the degree level, but is unsure if she will be able to do so due to the economic condition of her family. Monjuara’s son Mehedi was proud of his mother’s achievement, saying that there is no age for education. Her husband Rahim was also overjoyed and affirmed that he will support Monjuara’s education at any cost. Read: Mymensingh girl commits suicide over SSC result “Mehedi is a regular student of my institution. The news of him and his mother passing the SSC exams together is a very happy one,” said Mofazzal Hossain, Principal of Khanmorich BM School and College. Nahid Hasan Khan, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Bhangura, said that Monjuara’s success story is important for the locality and will inspire a lot of women like her.

Popular Dhallywood actress Mahiya Mahi announced her pregnancy on Monday night through her social media handle.“I have never been as happy as I am right now. Soon I am going to be a mom,” she announced via a Facebook post on her profile.The actress also revealed and confirmed to the media that she is going to become a mother, saying that she had discovered this wonderful news for two months now.Mahia Mahi stated, "I cannot express my happiness in words. Having the best time of my life. Keep praying for us, perhaps after 6-7 months I will be able to announce the arrival of our new guest.”Last year on September 13, Mahi tied the knot to businessman Rakib Sarker. Tuesday marks the first anniversary of their marriage.Mahi’s latest movie ‘Live’ starring Symon Sadik is currently running across theatres, receiving rave reviews. Also read: Pori Moni, Razz have baby boy

A one-and-a-half month-old baby boy died after falling off his mother's lap in a road accident in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah on Friday.The deceased was identified as Sizan, son of Shihab Hossain of Chhota Shimla village of the upazila.The accident occurred on Friday morning when a pick-up van hit the motorcycle they were on in the bus stand area of the upazila, said Abdur Rahim Mollah, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kaliganj Police Station.Sizan's mother Shanta Khatun and grandfather Abul Kalam also suffered injuries in the accident, added the OC.He said Shanta's father was riding the motorcycle while Shanta, the baby and grandfather  were on the back of the bike on their way to a doctor's visit. Read: Student dies falling off university building in cityOn the way, a Jhenaidah-bound pickup hit the motorcycle resulting in the baby falling off. The infant died on the spot.Locals rushed them to Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex.Police arrested the driver of the pick-up and seized the vehicle from the spot, added the OC.

A woman and her son were killed as a bus mowed them down on the Sylhet-Bholaganj highway in Companiganj upazila, Sylhet, Thursday, police said. Dulvi Begum, 40, and her son Siddikur Rahman, 12, of the upazila were going to Meghergaon of Sadar upazila. The accident occurred around 12pm near Baharghat as a bus of Shadapathor Poribohon hit the mother and son as they were crossing the road, leaving Dulvi and her son critically injured, Md Shafiqul Islam Khan, in-charge of Salutikor Police Investigation Centre, said. Also read: 35 km tailback on Dhaka-Chattogram highway after road accident Police rushed them to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital where they were declared dead upon arrival. The bodies were sent to the hospital morgue for autopsies, Shafiqul said. Also read: Two killed, 15 hurt in Bagerhat bus accident Meanwhile, police managed to detain the driver of the bus, he added.

A 30-year-old woman and her daughter were killed and her husband was injured when a covered van hit a motorbike at Nandalalpur in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia district in the  hours of Saturday, said police. The deceased were identified as Rina Khatun, wife of Ashraful Islam and  their daughter Joya, 11, of Kushita district town. The accident occurred on Kushtia-Rajbari regional highway when Ashraful was  returning home from Rajbari along with his wife and two daughters riding  his motorbike.  Rina died on the spot and Ashraful and Joya sustained injuries, said Idris Ali, in-charge of Chourhash Highway Police Station. READ: 2 killed in Dinajpur road crash Later, the inured were taken to a local hospital where Joya succumbed to her injuries. Ashraful’s condition is critical, said Dr Ashraful Islam, resident medical officer of Kushtia Sadar Hospital. Another daughter of the couple fortunately remained unhurt during the accident. The family met the tragic accident while returning to their Kushita residence from Rina’s parent’s house in Rajbari. Police seized the covered van but could not arrest its driver.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Wednesday detained two people in connection with the killing of a woman and her five-month-old son in Rowmari upazila of Kurigram, said Rab officials. The detainees were Zakir Hossain alias Jafial, 28, and brother-in-law of the woman Chan Mia, 43, of Okrakanda village of the upazila. RAB-14 Jamalpur Company Commander Squadron Leader Ashiq Uzzaman said they detained Zakir Hossain after conducting a drive in Bakshiganj of Jamalpur on Tuesday afternoon.  Based on Zakir's information, they detained Chan Mia from Boalmari village at Shaulmari union in Rowmari upazila. READ: Mother, son found dead beside pond in Kurigram Montaser Billah, officer-in-charge (OC) of Rowmari police station, said the two detainees were handed over to police.   On May 21, police recovered the throat-slit bodies of Hafsa Akter Haresa, 20, wife of Saheb Ali and their five-month-old son Habib from Natun Bandar village in Rowmari upazila of Kurigram. Later, Hafsa's father lodged a complaint with Rowmari police station.

A woman and her two minor children were found dead with their throats slit in their house in Babla village of the district's Belabo upazila on Sunday. The deceased were identified as Rahima Begum,36, her son Rabbi Sheikh,12, and daughter Rakiba Sheikh,7. Rahima used to live with her two children in the house as her husband works as a painter in Kishoreganj. Also read: Mother, son found dead beside pond in Kurigram Neighbours said as no one came out of their house for a long time in the morning they started knocking the door. Getting no response, they broke the fence of their house and found their bodies lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Rahima’s husband Gias Uddin Sheikh suspected they were killed following previous enmity over a land. Also read: Village doctor's throat-slit body found in Rajshahi Safayet Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Belabo police station, said locals informed the matter to police after finding them dead in the morning. “The bodies have been sent for autopsy. An investigation will start soon to identify the killers,” said the OC.