SWINDON’S Bangladeshi community came together this week to mark one of the most important days on the cultural calendar.

International Mother Language Day 2017, which was celebrated in the early hours of February 21, saw people of all ages gather at the Bangladesh Centre in County Road to pay tribute to their heritage.

The day is celebrated every year in recognition of the Bengali language movement martyrs. In 1952, demonstrations took place in present-day Bangladesh for the recognition of Bengali as one of the two national languages of East Pakistan.

The protesters were shot by police and they are remembered for their sacrifice on February 21 each year.

Enam Chowdhury, general secretary of the Bangladesh Association Swindon, said: “More than 100 people from all walks of life, including community leaders and various organisations, joined us to pay tribute to the language martyrs.

“We discussed the significance of the celebrations and educated the younger generation about it. It’s important to keep the spirit alive and to make sure these traditions are passed on. We also think it’s important to work towards community cohesion.

“Everyone really enjoyed themselves. They found it hugely significant and were thrilled to take part.”

The Bangladesh Association Swindon boasts around 1,500 members and has been active since 1992.

On Tuesday, the Bengali community had planned to congregate in Wharf Green to lay wreaths in memory of the language martyrs. But after the council discovered that huge numbers were expected - between 500 and 1,000 - the decision was taken to cancel due to a lack of security.

Although this was unfortunate, Enam thinks it indicative of how successful the event has been in previous years.

“It shows just how popular it is and how it can benefit the whole community,” he said.

“We teach the Bengali language to people from all around the world who come to Swindon and we teach them about culture and heritage.

“We also teach English to people who come here as a way of welcoming them into society.”

This year marks the association’s 25 year anniversary and they have many more exciting celebrations planned for later in the year.

Earlier this month, Swindon’s Hindu community celebrated the Saraswati Puja to pay tribute to the goddess of wisdom, art, and philosophy and who Hindus believe helps with learning.