ASSIGNMENT on “International Mother Language Day”

STATE UNIVERSITY OF BANGLADESH

ENGLISH – III

ASSIGNMENT NO – 01

Name of the topic: Essay writing-

“International Mother Language Day”

Submitted by:

Md. Monir Hussain

Roll: UG050504029

Submitted to:

Mizanur Rahman

English Department, SUB

Submitted Date: February 26, 2005 
International Mother Language Day's

Introduction:

The UNESCO has proclaimed February 21as the International Mother Language Day. Mother language is a divine gift. From the holy Quran we come to know that the most merciful almighty has bestowed a mother tongue upon each and every caste, creed and color. Mother tongue is so important that the people of a country express their ideas, feelings emotions etc. clearly through mother tongue.

What is International Mother Language Day:

Bangla is our mother tongue. We fought for this language. We shed blood for this. At last we won and established this language as the state language. It took place on February 21, 1952. The UNESCO has proclaimed February 21 as the International Mother Language Day to be observed globally in recognition of the sacrifices of the martyrs for establishing the rightful place of Bangla. Here lies the importance of this movement in history. The International Mother Language Day is closely related with the dignity of Bangla as it has been internationally recognized and the whole world is going to observe the 21^st February on the Banglis' sacrifice of blood for their mother tongue.

Former History of Mother language Day:

A Political movement in the erstwhile East Pakistan in 1952. After the formation of Pakistan in 1947, the West Pakistani rulers intended to make Urdu (spoken mostly in West Pakistan) the national language of the whole Pakistan. The majority Bengalis were not in agreement with this and started a movement to provide equal status for their own language, Bangla. The matter worsened in February 1952 when the Khawza Nazimuddin, Governor of East Pakistan, reiterated the Government position on the national language.

Police declared section 144 which banned any sort of meeting. Defying this, the students of Dhaka University and other political activists started a procession in February 21st, 1952. Near the current Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police fired on the protesters and numerous people including Abdus Salam, Rafique, Barkat, Jabbar died.

The movement spread to the whole of East Pakistan and the whole province came to a standstill. Afterwards, the Government of Pakistan relented and gave equal status to Bangla.

This movement is thought to sow the seeds for the independence movement which resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.

To commemorate this movement, Shaheed Minar, a solemn and symbolic sculpture was erected in the place of the massacre. The day is remembered as the Language day in Bangladesh and is a national holiday. Recently, 21st February has also been declared as the International Mother Language Day by the United Nations.

Language Martyrs' Day is a day remembered in Bangladesh for the killings of protesters seeking official recognition for the Bengali language in 1952. When Bengal was divided in East and West during the partition of India in 1947, West Bengal emerged as a state of India and East Bengal became a part of Pakistan and was known as East Pakistan. As a state of Pakistan, Urdu was the language of government in East Bengal, but the population there primarily spoke Bengali. In reaction to this, people from East Bengal started asking the government to make Bengali an official language of administration. But the Pakistani government of the time did not agree. Finally, on February 21, 1952, there was a huge protest of all ages of people, irrespective of caste and creed, with students of University of Dhaka in the lead. Police ruthlessly fired to disperse the crowd, and many of the protesters were killed.

It was not long, however, before Bengali was given right of a official language. Since then, February 21 has been remembered as Language Martyrs' Day in independent Bangladesh and West Bengal, as well. The same date is observed by UNESCO as the International Mother Language Day.

The fight for Bengali In Bangladesh

During the period 1947-1971, when Eastern Bengal (present-day Bangladesh) was part of Pakistan, the Bengali language became the focus and foundation of the national identity of the people of East Bengal, leading ultimately to the creation of the sovereign state of Bangladesh. Bengali is the official language of Bangladesh, administrative and official work in Bangladesh is carried out in Bengali.

Language Movement:

Around 1950-52, the emerging middle classes of East Bengal underwent an uprising known later as the "Language Movement". Bangladeshis (then East Pakistanis) were initially agitated by a decision by Central Pakistan Government to establish Urdu, a minority language spoken only by the supposed elite class of West Pakistan, as the sole national language for all of Pakistan. At the peak of resentment, on February 21, 1952, students (mainly of Dhaka Medical College and University of Dhaka) and activists walked into military fire in demand of the recognition and establishment of the Bangla language - spoken by the majority of the then Pakistani population - as a, if not the, national language of erstwhile Pakistan. The day is revered in Bangladesh and, to a somewhat lesser extent, in West Bengal as the Language Martyrs' Day. UNESCO decided to observe February 21 as International Mother Language Day. The UNESCO General Conference took a decision to 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.

Conclusion:

Since then this day is called the Shaheed Dibash. Every year we remember this day with solemnity and pay them profound tribute. Now it is a great pleasure for us that this day has got international recognition in 1999.

End