It is an honour to rise today to address an important proclamation. In Ontario, the month of March marks Bangladeshi Heritage Month. This month, we pay tribute to and celebrate the thriving, strong and vibrant Bangladeshi community in Ontario.

March is a very special month for our community, as March 26 commemorates Independence Day, the day that Bangladesh, in 1971, declared independence from Pakistan. This declaration led to the beginning of a nine-month-long bloody war where many lives were sacrificed. Youth, intellectuals, men and women fought and sacrificed so much for an independent nation. After this period, known as the liberation war, on December 16 a new nation was born.

Scarborough Southwest is home to an active Bangladeshi community whose contributions to our communities across the province have been extraordinary. This is a community that gives light and hope to Scarborough, with amazing talent, so many local businesses, food, art and performances, as well as community leaders who continue to stand by their neighbours. I’m looking forward to spending this month honouring our culture and heritage, remembering the history and enhancing the work and voices of our community here in our province, as a Bangladeshi Canadian who has the honour of representing our incredible community.

Speaker, I’m honoured to be a member of this amazing community. On behalf of our Legislature, I know that I can wish all the Bangladeshis across Ontario and across Canada a happy Bangladeshi Heritage Month.

Around the world the 21st of February, or Ekushey February, is recognized as International Mother Language Day, to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to uphold multiculturalism. It is also an important day to reflect on the sacrifices made to preserve Bangladeshi and Bengali people’s unique cultural identity. On this day, 71 years ago, language martyrs, or bhasha shohids, lost their lives protesting the oppressive regime that prohibited Bangla from being used as an official language. Their sacrifice, their fight and the movement for their mother tongue was heard across the world, sparking International Mother Language Day.

As the MPP and long-time resident of an incredibly diverse and multilingual community, I know how important language access is to our community members and how empowering and essential it is for people to have information and services in their native languages.

I would like to thank the United Committee for Observance of Ekushey and International Mother Language Day, who put together an incredible commemoration at Dentonia Park last night at midnight. I also want to thank the Language Access Coalition, who are currently hosting their annual Language Advocacy Day conference to continue championing this issue.

Let’s all work together to preserve our languages and continue advocating for language access across Ontario and build an equitable province for all.

I am pleased to introduce Mr. Emamul Kabir, a renowned Bangladeshi veteran guitarist, who is here today. A recipient of numerous prestigious awards, he has published over 22 musical notations and released over 50 music albums. He is known for playing Bangladeshi liberation music, even when he was forbidden to do so. He’s here with his daughter, Nahid Kabir, another talented musician in Scarborough, and his granddaughter, Angkita Sarwar. Please welcome them.