February 21: International Mother Tongue Day
Every year on February 21, Bengalis (mostly in Bangladesh) throng to the Shahid Minar (monument of martyrs) and sing, 'Amar bhai rakete rangano ekushe February ami ke bhuliti pari!' (How can I forget February 21, which is dyed with the blood of my brothers!)?
February 21, now commemorated as ‘International Mother Language Day is one of the most momentous days, not only in the South Asia’s tiny country Bangladesh, but also in human history. The commemoration which was observed within the axis of Bangladesh is now being observed throughout the globe as the UNESCO declared it ‘the International Mother Language Day’ in November 1999. It was on that day in 1952, the valiant Bengalis sacrifice their lives to defend their sweet mother tongue, Bangla language.
The origin of language struggle
After the almost two hundred years of British colonization, in August 1947 the Partition of India sub-content gave birth to two new countries named India and Pakistan. Pakistan was divided by two parts namely East and West Pakistan, separated by over a thousand miles of Indian territory. Immediately after independence, the Pakistani central leadership based on West Pakistan began the process of making Urdu as the state language albeit Bangla was the mother tongue of the majority people. In the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan a proposal was tabled that the members would have to speak either in Urdu or in English at the Assembly.
In 1948, the policy of making Urdu as the state language was enshrined into law. The declaration of proclaiming Urdu as the state language came under heavy protest from the Bengalis. The students of the Dhaka University took the leading role and united under the banner “Rashtrabhasha Shangram Porishod” (State Language Committee of Action) to help the movement to reach its goal. At this juncture, first Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah came to Dhaka on March 19, 1948. During a civil reception he clearly declared that Urdu would be the state language of Pakistan and no other language could substitute it. The Urdu-Bangla controversy was reignited when the Governor-General Khawaja Nazimuddin staunchly defended the ‘Urdu-only’ policy promoted earlier by Jinnah in a major speech on January 27, 1952. On January 31, 1952 the Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod (All-Party Central Language Action Committee) was formed in a meeting chaired by Maulana Bhasani, a Bengali national leader at the Bar Library Hall of Dhaka University. The central government’s proposal of writing the Bangla language in Arabic script was vehemently opposed at the meeting. The committee also called for complete agitation on February 21, including strikes and rallies. The students also warned the government to terminate the proposal of writing Bangla in the Arabic script and reiterated their demand for the recognition of Bangla.
February 21: The alphabet bleeds
As per the plan students gathered at the Dhaka University premises to protest. The curfew was imposed all over Dhaka city. Police carrying arms made a cordon around the meeting place. When students came out in the street police tried to drive away the students by firing tear gas shells. Some students ran into the Dhaka Medical College, while others rallied at the Dhaka University premises cordoned by the police. The fight between the students and the police forces went on and on. But the situation reached its darkest phase when, around 3 pm, a group of armed police, instructed by the District Magistrate Koreshi, opened fire. Some bodies fell on the streets, streaming blood dyed the roads. Soon the news of police shooting the students spread like thunderbolt. The students then started throwing brickbats at the police, who retaliated with tear gas. Unable to control the agitated students, the police fired upon the crowd of students, who were proceeding towards the Assembly Building. Three young men, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abdul Jabbar and Abul Barkat were fatally wounded and subsequently died. Many injured persons were admitted to the hospital. Among them Abdus Salam, a peon at the Secretariat, subsequently succumbed to his wounds. A nine-year-old boy named Ohiullah was also killed.
Life in Dhaka turned into a standstill. Thousands of people streamed into the Dhaka Medical College Hospital to pay their tribute to the martyrs. Shocked and grief-struck their face turned stone, amber in their hearts. The next few days saw the movement in intensify throughout East Bengal, with shops and offices closed, train and bus services paralysed over wide areas and Dhaka simmering in anger. The Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod decided to commemorate every year February 21 as the Shohid Dibosh (Martyrs Day), which was also supported and observed by the Awami League. On the first anniversary of the language movement people wore black badges in solidarity with the victims while most offices, banks and educational institutions were closed
Finally the Red letter day
In 1956, February 21 was observed in a government friendly atmosphere for the first time. On that day, the foundation stone of Shaheed Minar (monument of martyrs) was planted. The session of Pakistan Constituent Assembly was also halted for five minutes to express respects for the martyrs of the Language Movement. After nearly ten years of starting of the language movement Bangla was officially recognized as the one of the main state language of Pakistan on February 29, 1956. The Pakistani Government declared, “The state language of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali …” Thus the Bengalis established the status of their sweet Mother Tongue ‘Bangla.’
And where are we …
Last Christmas I had the privilege of sojourning in Kerala. One day I happened to visit one of my friends house. As we were having a chat, the grandmother of my friend introduced her two daughters who came for Christmas vacation along with their children. The grandmother took special interest to introduce her one of her daughter’s son, who studies in the English medium school. She even took pride in saying that he can speak English. But at one corner I saw another daughter’s children standing. She did not even bother to introduce them. Later on I found out that since they study in the Malayalam medium, grandmother thought they would not be able to relate with us. Likewise there are so many incidents where we find those who study in the vernacular medium are looked down. These days many prefer to speak English. It is true that learning English is absolutely necessary. But it should not lead us to neglect our mother tongue. Let’s make a promise to respect our mother tongue on this International Mother Tongue Day…
(Ripon Rozario s.j)
Every year on February 21, Bengalis (mostly in Bangladesh) throng to the Shahid Minar (monument of martyrs) and sing, 'Amar bhai rakete rangano ekushe February ami ke bhuliti pari!' (How can I forget February 21, which is dyed with the blood of my brothers!)?
February 21, now commemorated as ‘International Mother Language Day is one of the most momentous days, not only in the South Asia’s tiny country Bangladesh, but also in human history. The commemoration which was observed within the axis of Bangladesh is now being observed throughout the globe as the UNESCO declared it ‘the International Mother Language Day’ in November 1999. It was on that day in 1952, the valiant Bengalis sacrifice their lives to defend their sweet mother tongue, Bangla language.
The origin of language struggle
After the almost two hundred years of British colonization, in August 1947 the Partition of India sub-content gave birth to two new countries named India and Pakistan. Pakistan was divided by two parts namely East and West Pakistan, separated by over a thousand miles of Indian territory. Immediately after independence, the Pakistani central leadership based on West Pakistan began the process of making Urdu as the state language albeit Bangla was the mother tongue of the majority people. In the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan a proposal was tabled that the members would have to speak either in Urdu or in English at the Assembly.
In 1948, the policy of making Urdu as the state language was enshrined into law. The declaration of proclaiming Urdu as the state language came under heavy protest from the Bengalis. The students of the Dhaka University took the leading role and united under the banner “Rashtrabhasha Shangram Porishod” (State Language Committee of Action) to help the movement to reach its goal. At this juncture, first Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah came to Dhaka on March 19, 1948. During a civil reception he clearly declared that Urdu would be the state language of Pakistan and no other language could substitute it. The Urdu-Bangla controversy was reignited when the Governor-General Khawaja Nazimuddin staunchly defended the ‘Urdu-only’ policy promoted earlier by Jinnah in a major speech on January 27, 1952. On January 31, 1952 the Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod (All-Party Central Language Action Committee) was formed in a meeting chaired by Maulana Bhasani, a Bengali national leader at the Bar Library Hall of Dhaka University. The central government’s proposal of writing the Bangla language in Arabic script was vehemently opposed at the meeting. The committee also called for complete agitation on February 21, including strikes and rallies. The students also warned the government to terminate the proposal of writing Bangla in the Arabic script and reiterated their demand for the recognition of Bangla.
February 21: The alphabet bleeds
As per the plan students gathered at the Dhaka University premises to protest. The curfew was imposed all over Dhaka city. Police carrying arms made a cordon around the meeting place. When students came out in the street police tried to drive away the students by firing tear gas shells. Some students ran into the Dhaka Medical College, while others rallied at the Dhaka University premises cordoned by the police. The fight between the students and the police forces went on and on. But the situation reached its darkest phase when, around 3 pm, a group of armed police, instructed by the District Magistrate Koreshi, opened fire. Some bodies fell on the streets, streaming blood dyed the roads. Soon the news of police shooting the students spread like thunderbolt. The students then started throwing brickbats at the police, who retaliated with tear gas. Unable to control the agitated students, the police fired upon the crowd of students, who were proceeding towards the Assembly Building. Three young men, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abdul Jabbar and Abul Barkat were fatally wounded and subsequently died. Many injured persons were admitted to the hospital. Among them Abdus Salam, a peon at the Secretariat, subsequently succumbed to his wounds. A nine-year-old boy named Ohiullah was also killed.
Life in Dhaka turned into a standstill. Thousands of people streamed into the Dhaka Medical College Hospital to pay their tribute to the martyrs. Shocked and grief-struck their face turned stone, amber in their hearts. The next few days saw the movement in intensify throughout East Bengal, with shops and offices closed, train and bus services paralysed over wide areas and Dhaka simmering in anger. The Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod decided to commemorate every year February 21 as the Shohid Dibosh (Martyrs Day), which was also supported and observed by the Awami League. On the first anniversary of the language movement people wore black badges in solidarity with the victims while most offices, banks and educational institutions were closed
Finally the Red letter day
In 1956, February 21 was observed in a government friendly atmosphere for the first time. On that day, the foundation stone of Shaheed Minar (monument of martyrs) was planted. The session of Pakistan Constituent Assembly was also halted for five minutes to express respects for the martyrs of the Language Movement. After nearly ten years of starting of the language movement Bangla was officially recognized as the one of the main state language of Pakistan on February 29, 1956. The Pakistani Government declared, “The state language of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali …” Thus the Bengalis established the status of their sweet Mother Tongue ‘Bangla.’
And where are we …
Last Christmas I had the privilege of sojourning in Kerala. One day I happened to visit one of my friends house. As we were having a chat, the grandmother of my friend introduced her two daughters who came for Christmas vacation along with their children. The grandmother took special interest to introduce her one of her daughter’s son, who studies in the English medium school. She even took pride in saying that he can speak English. But at one corner I saw another daughter’s children standing. She did not even bother to introduce them. Later on I found out that since they study in the Malayalam medium, grandmother thought they would not be able to relate with us. Likewise there are so many incidents where we find those who study in the vernacular medium are looked down. These days many prefer to speak English. It is true that learning English is absolutely necessary. But it should not lead us to neglect our mother tongue. Let’s make a promise to respect our mother tongue on this International Mother Tongue Day…
(Ripon Rozario s.j)
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