International Mother Language Day

Y&I DEsk

Ekushey February (21st February) commemorates the day in 1952 when many sacrificed their lives for establishing Bangla as the state language of then East Pakistan.
When Pakistan was formed following the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, the government decreed that Urdu would be the sole national language, though the majority of the population in East Pakistan spoke Bangla. This decision created discontent among the people and they started to protest, which continued year after year.
On February 21, 1952, many students and general people came out on the streets of Dhaka, defying a ban on demonstrations, to demand that Bangla be made a state language. Police fired at a procession of students on the Dhaka University campus, wounding many, among whom Salam, Barkat, Rafiq and Jabbar died that day. The killing made the people angrier and the movement became stronger. Finally, on February 29, 1956, the Pakistan government declared ‘the state languages of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali’. Thus, the Language Movement became successful.
The movement is seen as the start of Bangladesh’s struggle for independence, which we achieved in 1971 after a nine-month Liberation War. In 1999, UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day in honour of our Language Movement. Since 2000, the day is being observed worldwide to highlight the ethno-linguistic rights of people everywhere.
In Bangladesh, commemorations for ‘Shaheed Dibosh’ (Martyrs’ Day) begin at midnight, with people from all walks of life thronging to Central Shaheed Minar on the DU campus, and replicas around the country, to lay wreathes in memory of those who died for our mother tongue. At daylight, various cultural and literary programmes and school functions are held to celebrate our Bengali heritage.
In Dhaka, the monthlong Ekushey Boi Mela (book fair), arranged at the Bangla Academy, is a popular destination for the whole family, especially children, to buy newly published books, meet favourite authors, participate in contests and enjoy cultural events.  

Photos: Azizur rahman sumon

International Mother Language Day

YI DEsk Ekushey February (21st February) commemorates the day in 1952 when many sacrificed their lives for establishing Bangla as the state language of then East Pakistan. When Pakistan was formed following the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, the government decreed that Urdu would be the sole national language, though the majority of the population in East Pakistan spoke Bangla. This decision created discontent among the people and they started to protest, which continued year after year. On February 21, 1952, many students and general people came out on the streets of Dhaka, defying a ban on demonstrations, to demand that Bangla be made a state language. Police fired at a procession of students on the Dhaka University campus, wounding many, among whom Salam, Barkat, Rafiq and Jabbar died that day. The killing made the people angrier and the movement became stronger. Finally, on February 29, 1956, the Pakistan government declared the state languages of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali. Thus, the Language Movement became successful. The movement is seen as the start of Bangladeshs struggle for independence, which we achieved in 1971 after a nine-month Liberation War. In 1999, UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day in honour of our Language Movement. Since 2000, the day is being observed worldwide to highlight the ethno-linguistic rights of people everywhere. In Bangladesh, commemorations for Shaheed Dibosh (Martyrs Day) begin at midnight, with people from all walks of life thronging to Central Shaheed Minar on the DU campus, and replicas around the country, to lay wreathes in memory of those who died for our mother tongue. At daylight, various cultural and literary programmes and school functions are held to celebrate our Bengali heritage. In Dhaka, the monthlong Ekushey Boi Mela (book fair), arranged at the Bangla Academy, is a popular destination for the whole family, especially children, to buy newly published books, meet favourite authors, participate in contests and enjoy cultural events. Photos: Azizur rahman sumon