International Mother Language Day & History of the Language Movement
Mother tongue, the language we inherit from our mothers, is indeed the language closest to our hearts, the language we understand best, the language that helps us most clearly express our pains and pangs, hopes and aspirations, laughter and joys. What can be more beautiful and more natural? But what do you do when someone wants to rob you of your mother tongue? Bengalis have shown the world how to annihilate such attempts and establish the right to mother tongue.
February 21, 1952
When Bengalis in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) were asked to stop using their mother tongue by the dictatorial regime of Pakistan in 1952, a violent protest broke out throughout the Bengali nation. On February 21, 1952, a number of students and citizens laid down their lives to assert their rights, and foiled the plan to force a foreign language upon them. The people of Bangladesh wrote in blood: "I love my mother tongue - Bengali" and engraved their heroic story of indomitable courage and love for their mother tongue. Since then Bengalis the world over commemorate this day as Language Martyrs' Day.
International Mother Language Day
Since 2000, this historic event is being celebrated as International Mother Language Day after a UNESCO proclamation to observe February 21 globally in recognition of the sacrifices of the martyrs for establishing the rightful place of the Bengali language. The proclamation came in the form of a resolution unanimously adopted at the plenary of the UNESCO at its headquarters in Paris in November 1999.
Mind Your Mother Tongue!
It is estimated that many of the 6,000 languages spoken today around the world may disappear in the next 20 years, which would incur an irreparable loss for humanity. The occupation-driven change of habitation and the want of a common medium of communication have proved a threat to mother tongues worldwide. The International Mother Language Day seeks to preserve these 'at-risk' languages and conserve the diversity of culture and language in a rapidly globalizing world.
Importance of Conserving Mother Languages
The many mother tongues of mankind testify to humanity's astounding ability to create indigenous systems of communication. Languages are among "humanity's most precious and fragile treasures", and the value of regional languages both as means of communication and as expressions of culture and identity are undeniable. They mirror the souls of the societies in which they are born and reflect their history and lineage.
The fundamental objective of UNESCO's language policy is to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and plurilingualism in educational curricula. Supporting the promotion of linguistic diversity and the development of multilingual education from an early age helps preserve cultural diversity and the conditions for international understanding, tolerance and mutual respect. Therefore, preserving the diversity of languages, and conserving each language as a shared heritage of humanity is of capital importance.
On the 21st of February, one hundred and eighty-eight countries around the world joins Bangladesh to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. "Amar Ekushe" (Bengali = 'The Eternal 21st') is now observed across the globe as International Mother Language Day - a great honour to Bengali culture.
Bengali as World Language
Of all the people in the world, the populace of a little-known land on one corner of the Bay of Bengal epitomized how to attain the right to their mother language. Of all the languages in the world, Bengali speakers today constitute the seventh largest community. Besides, Bengali language has a rich heritage: The world-renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize with his verses written in Bengali. The language again gained political status on the world forum, when the great leader and founder of Bangladesh, Bongobandhu Sheikh Mujimbur Rahaman for the first time delivered a speech in Bengali at the UN on 25 September 1974.
Behind the Adoption of the Resolution
The decision to observe 21st February as the International Mother Language Day was unanimously taken at the 30th General Conference of the UNESCO held on November 17, 1999. Bangladesh officially sent a proposal to UNESCO requesting the world body to adopt a Resolution declaring 21st February as International Mother Language Day. The Language Division of UNESCO marked the proposal from the Government of Bangladesh as a draft resolution and sent it to the commission, which unanimously recommended the proposal for presentation at the Plenary Session of the General Conference of the UNESCO.
The proposal was seconded by India, Ivory Coast, Italy, Indonesia, Iran, Oman, Comoros, Gambia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, the Philippines, the Bahamas, Benin, Belarus, Vanuatu, Micronesia, Malaysia, Egypt, Russia, Lithuania, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Surinam, Slovakia and Honduras. Soon after, on November 17, 1999, 21st February was declared in the General Conference as the International Mother Language Day.
The UNESCO in its resolution said that the recognition was given bearing in mind that all moves promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness about linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.
The First Ever International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day was celebrated for the first time on February 21, 2000, with a ceremony at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The event was opened by UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura who stressed that "by deciding to celebrate mother tongues, UNESCO's Member States wished to recall that languages are not only an essential part of humanity's cultural heritage, but the irreducible expression of human creativity and of its great diversity."
Vigdis Finnbogadottir, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Languages and former President of Iceland, also took part in the first celebration of International Mother Language Day. In a message read at the ceremony, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed support for International Mother Language Day, which, he said, raises awareness among all peoples regarding the value of languages.
মদের গরব, মদের আসা / আ মরি বাংলা ভাষা
Moder Garab, Moder Aasha / Aa Mori Bangla Bhasha!
("Our pride, our hope, / O My beautiful Bengali language...!")
Language Is More Powerful Than Religion
In August 1947, when India was partitioned, Pakistan was created. This new nation comprised two far-flung wings in the west and east - West Pakistan and East Pakistan, separated by 1600 km of foreign territory. The basis of this strange division was a common religion - Islam. This absurd and pernicious two-nation theory ignored such fundamental elements as language and culture and considered religion as a bond strong enough to transform a people into a nation.
For The Love of Mother Tongue
The love and attachment of Bengalis to their language and culture are legendary. The language of the people of East Pakistan, where the major portion of the population resided, was Bangla. This part, which separated from Indian Bengal, had a rich tradition of literature of over a thousand years. The Bengali people also had a highly developed culture that had little in common with those of the people of West Pakistan that ruled it.
When in 1952 the tyrannical rulers of Pakistan declared that Urdu and Urdu alone would be the state language of Pakistan, they sowed the seed of further discontent and rapid disintegration. The people of the then East Pakistan, particularly the students, rose in protest against the government's vicious undemocratic designs that spelled the obliteration of the Bengali language and culture with the imposition of the language and culture of the people of West Pakistan.
The reaction of the Bengali-speaking majority was strong and spontaneous. But the government decided to quell the protests by force. The police opened fire on 21st February 1952 on unarmed peaceful protesters, most of whom were students, resulting in the death, among others, of Rafiq, Barkat, Jabbar, Saifur and Salaam. As the news of the deaths spread, the entire Bengali nation jumped into action and became involved emotionally and actively in this Bengali Language Movement.
The Language Movement
After the killings the political parties and the intelligentsia joined the students in the Bengali Language Movement. Those who lost their lives to uphold the prestige defend the rights of their mother-language became hallowed martyrs. The Central Martyr's Monument in Dhaka called the 'Shaheed Minar' was erected in memory of those who laid down their lives for establishing the dignity and rightful place of Bengali language on February 21, 1952.
Birth of Bangladesh
The language martyrdom of February 21 had far reaching consequences. "Amar Ekushe" became a symbol of Bengali identity, gained mythic proportions, nourished the concepts of democracy and secularism, and contributed significantly to the flowering of Bengali nationalism. The democratic mass movements that followed in the late 1950s and throughout the subsequent decades finally led to the struggle for independence and the war of liberation. The language movement ultimately resulted in the creation of the new Bengali nation called Bangladesh.
February 21 is perhaps the most significant date in the national calendar of Bangladesh. It's a day of mourning: While Bangladesh lowers the national flag to half-mast and hoists black flags on this, West Bengal commemorates this day with a variety of cultural programmes. All Bengal rises up singing in chorus:
আমার ভাইয়ের রক্তে রাঙানো একুশে ফেব্রুয়ারী / আমি কি ভুলিতে পারি
"Aamar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February / Aami ki bhulite pari"
(Red in the blood of my brothers/Twenty-first February/How can I forget thee?")
February 21, 1952
When Bengalis in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) were asked to stop using their mother tongue by the dictatorial regime of Pakistan in 1952, a violent protest broke out throughout the Bengali nation. On February 21, 1952, a number of students and citizens laid down their lives to assert their rights, and foiled the plan to force a foreign language upon them. The people of Bangladesh wrote in blood: "I love my mother tongue - Bengali" and engraved their heroic story of indomitable courage and love for their mother tongue. Since then Bengalis the world over commemorate this day as Language Martyrs' Day.
International Mother Language Day
Since 2000, this historic event is being celebrated as International Mother Language Day after a UNESCO proclamation to observe February 21 globally in recognition of the sacrifices of the martyrs for establishing the rightful place of the Bengali language. The proclamation came in the form of a resolution unanimously adopted at the plenary of the UNESCO at its headquarters in Paris in November 1999.
Mind Your Mother Tongue!
It is estimated that many of the 6,000 languages spoken today around the world may disappear in the next 20 years, which would incur an irreparable loss for humanity. The occupation-driven change of habitation and the want of a common medium of communication have proved a threat to mother tongues worldwide. The International Mother Language Day seeks to preserve these 'at-risk' languages and conserve the diversity of culture and language in a rapidly globalizing world.
Importance of Conserving Mother Languages
The many mother tongues of mankind testify to humanity's astounding ability to create indigenous systems of communication. Languages are among "humanity's most precious and fragile treasures", and the value of regional languages both as means of communication and as expressions of culture and identity are undeniable. They mirror the souls of the societies in which they are born and reflect their history and lineage.
The fundamental objective of UNESCO's language policy is to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and plurilingualism in educational curricula. Supporting the promotion of linguistic diversity and the development of multilingual education from an early age helps preserve cultural diversity and the conditions for international understanding, tolerance and mutual respect. Therefore, preserving the diversity of languages, and conserving each language as a shared heritage of humanity is of capital importance.
On the 21st of February, one hundred and eighty-eight countries around the world joins Bangladesh to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. "Amar Ekushe" (Bengali = 'The Eternal 21st') is now observed across the globe as International Mother Language Day - a great honour to Bengali culture.
Bengali as World Language
Of all the people in the world, the populace of a little-known land on one corner of the Bay of Bengal epitomized how to attain the right to their mother language. Of all the languages in the world, Bengali speakers today constitute the seventh largest community. Besides, Bengali language has a rich heritage: The world-renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize with his verses written in Bengali. The language again gained political status on the world forum, when the great leader and founder of Bangladesh, Bongobandhu Sheikh Mujimbur Rahaman for the first time delivered a speech in Bengali at the UN on 25 September 1974.
Behind the Adoption of the Resolution
The decision to observe 21st February as the International Mother Language Day was unanimously taken at the 30th General Conference of the UNESCO held on November 17, 1999. Bangladesh officially sent a proposal to UNESCO requesting the world body to adopt a Resolution declaring 21st February as International Mother Language Day. The Language Division of UNESCO marked the proposal from the Government of Bangladesh as a draft resolution and sent it to the commission, which unanimously recommended the proposal for presentation at the Plenary Session of the General Conference of the UNESCO.
The proposal was seconded by India, Ivory Coast, Italy, Indonesia, Iran, Oman, Comoros, Gambia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, the Philippines, the Bahamas, Benin, Belarus, Vanuatu, Micronesia, Malaysia, Egypt, Russia, Lithuania, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Surinam, Slovakia and Honduras. Soon after, on November 17, 1999, 21st February was declared in the General Conference as the International Mother Language Day.
The UNESCO in its resolution said that the recognition was given bearing in mind that all moves promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness about linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.
The First Ever International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day was celebrated for the first time on February 21, 2000, with a ceremony at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The event was opened by UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura who stressed that "by deciding to celebrate mother tongues, UNESCO's Member States wished to recall that languages are not only an essential part of humanity's cultural heritage, but the irreducible expression of human creativity and of its great diversity."
Vigdis Finnbogadottir, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Languages and former President of Iceland, also took part in the first celebration of International Mother Language Day. In a message read at the ceremony, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed support for International Mother Language Day, which, he said, raises awareness among all peoples regarding the value of languages.
মদের গরব, মদের আসা / আ মরি বাংলা ভাষা
Moder Garab, Moder Aasha / Aa Mori Bangla Bhasha!
("Our pride, our hope, / O My beautiful Bengali language...!")
Language Is More Powerful Than Religion
In August 1947, when India was partitioned, Pakistan was created. This new nation comprised two far-flung wings in the west and east - West Pakistan and East Pakistan, separated by 1600 km of foreign territory. The basis of this strange division was a common religion - Islam. This absurd and pernicious two-nation theory ignored such fundamental elements as language and culture and considered religion as a bond strong enough to transform a people into a nation.
For The Love of Mother Tongue
The love and attachment of Bengalis to their language and culture are legendary. The language of the people of East Pakistan, where the major portion of the population resided, was Bangla. This part, which separated from Indian Bengal, had a rich tradition of literature of over a thousand years. The Bengali people also had a highly developed culture that had little in common with those of the people of West Pakistan that ruled it.
When in 1952 the tyrannical rulers of Pakistan declared that Urdu and Urdu alone would be the state language of Pakistan, they sowed the seed of further discontent and rapid disintegration. The people of the then East Pakistan, particularly the students, rose in protest against the government's vicious undemocratic designs that spelled the obliteration of the Bengali language and culture with the imposition of the language and culture of the people of West Pakistan.
The reaction of the Bengali-speaking majority was strong and spontaneous. But the government decided to quell the protests by force. The police opened fire on 21st February 1952 on unarmed peaceful protesters, most of whom were students, resulting in the death, among others, of Rafiq, Barkat, Jabbar, Saifur and Salaam. As the news of the deaths spread, the entire Bengali nation jumped into action and became involved emotionally and actively in this Bengali Language Movement.
The Language Movement
After the killings the political parties and the intelligentsia joined the students in the Bengali Language Movement. Those who lost their lives to uphold the prestige defend the rights of their mother-language became hallowed martyrs. The Central Martyr's Monument in Dhaka called the 'Shaheed Minar' was erected in memory of those who laid down their lives for establishing the dignity and rightful place of Bengali language on February 21, 1952.
Birth of Bangladesh
The language martyrdom of February 21 had far reaching consequences. "Amar Ekushe" became a symbol of Bengali identity, gained mythic proportions, nourished the concepts of democracy and secularism, and contributed significantly to the flowering of Bengali nationalism. The democratic mass movements that followed in the late 1950s and throughout the subsequent decades finally led to the struggle for independence and the war of liberation. The language movement ultimately resulted in the creation of the new Bengali nation called Bangladesh.
February 21 is perhaps the most significant date in the national calendar of Bangladesh. It's a day of mourning: While Bangladesh lowers the national flag to half-mast and hoists black flags on this, West Bengal commemorates this day with a variety of cultural programmes. All Bengal rises up singing in chorus:
আমার ভাইয়ের রক্তে রাঙানো একুশে ফেব্রুয়ারী / আমি কি ভুলিতে পারি
"Aamar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February / Aami ki bhulite pari"
(Red in the blood of my brothers/Twenty-first February/How can I forget thee?")
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