21 February, celebrated as Language Movement Day or Shohid Dibosh (Martyrs' Day), is a major national holiday in Bangladesh. The Language Movement had a major cultural impact on Bengali society. It has inspired the development and celebration of the Bengali language, literature and culture.
UNESCO decided to observe 21 February as International Mother Language Day. The UNESCO General Conference took the decision that took effect on 17 November 1999, when it unanimously adopted a draft resolution submitted by Bangladesh and co-sponsored and supported by 28 other countries.
