Stay watchful against distortion of Bangla: PM

Underscoring the need for further enriching Bangla, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called for building massive awareness to avoid distortion of the mother language, reports UNB.
“We want people to know different languages, but in doing so there shouldn't be any distortion of our language, and everyone should remain aware and cautious in this regard. Massive awareness should be created among people,” she said.
The prime minister was inaugurating a four-day programme marking the International Mother Language Day 2016 and the Martyrs’ Day at
the International Mother Language Institute in the city.
The prime minister said she personally believes since the world has turned into a global village, people need to learn various languages for the sake of their livelihood while there is nothing wrong in learning multiple languages.
“But, we see very often a culture of forgetting Bangla among some people who consider it as an act of great virtue...it hurts me. Besides, there’re people who think that their prestige would get perished if they couldn't enroll their children in English medium schools,” she added.
Hasina also noted that there are some persons who consider pronouncing Bangla in English accent as a great thing.
Describing the background of establishing the International Mother Language Institute, she said the aim of her government is to further develop and enrich Bangla so that it could stand tall in the global arena and continue to attract more attention to the global community. The prime minister also suggested the institute authorities continue efforts to preserve the languages of small ethnic groups so that their future generation could learn and practise those. She said her government is attaching due importance to sports, games and culture so that youths do not indulge in terrorism, militancy, drug addiction, and underscored the need for creating mass awareness among society and the guardians in this regard.
Extending her heartfelt thanks to the UNESCO for recognising the International Mother Language Institute as a category-2 centre, Hasina hoped that this institute would become an organisation across the globe for preserving, practising and researching mother languages.
Taking a swipe at the BNP-Jamaat clique for stopping the construction of this institute after they assumed power in 2001, she said a law has been enacted so that no one could stop the activities of this institute in the future.
She also assured the authorities of providing necessary fund for continuing the activities of this institute alongside putting emphasis on conducting more researches on various languages.
The prime minister said Ekushey February belongs not only to Bangladesh, now it is globally recognised as the International Mother Language Day. "We want that people across the globe know our culture and heritage."
She also called upon all to expand the use and practice of the mother language and create mass awareness through media in this regard. "We should also aim to further flourish our own culture and uniqueness through the mass media and the entertainment media," she said.
Hasina also sought support of all so that this institute could play its role properly in protecting all languages of the world.
Recalling with deep respect the martyrdom of all the language heroes alongside the role of Bangabandhu in the language movement, she said now this Ekushey February is being celebrated across 198 countries of the world.
"The blood of the martyrs had never gone in vain and we would never let it.........we'll build a hunger -and -poverty-free prosperous 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by our Father of the Nation," she added.
Education Secretary Md Sohrab Hossain delivered the address of welcome at the function held with Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid in the chair.
Eminent economist and Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman presented the keynote paper on 'Ekushey February: Bangali Mononer Batighor' while Unesco head to Bangladesh Beatrice Kaldun and Director General of International Mother Language Institute Prof Zinat Imtiaz Ali spoke at the function.
Earlier, a one-minute silence was observed in memory of those who had laid down their lives for the sake of the mother tongue.
The Education Minister also handed over to the Prime Minister UNESCO'S paper recognising the International Mother Language Institute as a Category-2 institute.

 

Stay watchful against distortion of Bangla: PM

Underscoring the need for further enriching Bangla, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called for building massive awareness to avoid distortion of the mother language, reports UNB. We want people to know different languages, but in doing so there shouldnt be any distortion of our language, and everyone should remain aware and cautious in this regard. Massive awareness should be created among people, she said. The prime minister was inaugurating a four-day programme marking the International Mother Language Day 2016 and the Martyrs Day at the International Mother Language Institute in the city. The prime minister said she personally believes since the world has turned into a global village, people need to learn various languages for the sake of their livelihood while there is nothing wrong in learning multiple languages. But, we see very often a culture of forgetting Bangla among some people who consider it as an act of great virtue...it hurts me. Besides, therere people who think that their prestige would get perished if they couldnt enroll their children in English medium schools, she added. Hasina also noted that there are some persons who consider pronouncing Bangla in English accent as a great thing. Describing the background of establishing the International Mother Language Institute, she said the aim of her government is to further develop and enrich Bangla so that it could stand tall in the global arena and continue to attract more attention to the global community. The prime minister also suggested the institute authorities continue efforts to preserve the languages of small ethnic groups so that their future generation could learn and practise those. She said her government is attaching due importance to sports, games and culture so that youths do not indulge in terrorism, militancy, drug addiction, and underscored the need for creating mass awareness among society and the guardians in this regard. Extending her heartfelt thanks to the UNESCO for recognising the International Mother Language Institute as a category-2 centre, Hasina hoped that this institute would become an organisation across the globe for preserving, practising and researching mother languages. Taking a swipe at the BNP-Jamaat clique for stopping the construction of this institute after they assumed power in 2001, she said a law has been enacted so that no one could stop the activities of this institute in the future. She also assured the authorities of providing necessary fund for continuing the activities of this institute alongside putting emphasis on conducting more researches on various languages. The prime minister said Ekushey February belongs not only to Bangladesh, now it is globally recognised as the International Mother Language Day. We want that people across the globe know our culture and heritage. She also called upon all to expand the use and practice of the mother language and create mass awareness through media in this regard. We should also aim to further flourish our own culture and uniqueness through the mass media and the entertainment media, she said. Hasina also sought support of all so that this institute could play its role properly in protecting all languages of the world. Recalling with deep respect the martyrdom of all the language heroes alongside the role of Bangabandhu in the language movement, she said now this Ekushey February is being celebrated across 198 countries of the world. The blood of the martyrs had never gone in vain and we would never let it.........well build a hunger -and -poverty-free prosperous Sonar Bangla as dreamt by our Father of the Nation, she added. Education Secretary Md Sohrab Hossain delivered the address of welcome at the function held with Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid in the chair. Eminent economist and Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman presented the keynote paper on Ekushey February: Bangali Mononer Batighor while Unesco head to Bangladesh Beatrice Kaldun and Director General of International Mother Language Institute Prof Zinat Imtiaz Ali spoke at the function. Earlier, a one-minute silence was observed in memory of those who had laid down their lives for the sake of the mother tongue. The Education Minister also handed over to the Prime Minister UNESCOS paper recognising the International Mother Language Institute as a Category-2 institute.