At the Ekushey Padak awarding ceremony on February 20 this year, the prime minister announced monthly government honorarium for the families of Shaheed Abul Barkat, Shaheed Abdul Jabbar, Shaheed Abdus Salam, Shaheed Rafiquddin Ahmed and Shaheed Shafiur Rahman who made supreme sacrifice in the Language Movement in 1952.

As per her announcement, a decision was taken to provide each family of the five language martyrs with a monthly honorarium of Tk 5,000.

The prime minister handed over cheques for Tk 60,000, equivalent to one year's honorarium for the fiscal 2005-06, to each of the families at a function arranged by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs at the International Conference Centre (ICC).

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister called upon to work from their respective positions for welfare of the country and the nation.

Shaheed Barkat's nephew Ainuddin Barkat, Shaheed Jabbar's son Nurul Islam Badal, Shaheed Salam's younger brother Abdul Karim, Shaheed Rafiquddin's younger brother Md Khorshed Alam and Shaheed Shafiur's wife Begum Akila Khatun received the cheques.

Paying tribute to the language martyrs, the prime minister advised all to follow the bright example of patriotism set by the martyrs through their sacrifice.

She said the spirit of nationalism had developed in the minds of the people through the great Language Movement, which subsequently culminated in the country's independence.

Ministers, MPs, distinguished personalities of different professions and members of the language martyrs' families attended the function.