Wednesday | 15 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Wednesday | 15 January 2025 | Epaper

Introduction of Bangla language at all levels

Published : Monday, 21 February, 2022 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1288
Md Zillur Rahaman
People's feelings, joys and sorrows, desires and aspirations are all properly expressed in their native language and mother tongue. The introduction of the mother tongue of a nation at all levels is essential for the overall development of that nation.

Bangla, our mother tongue, is one of the oldest and richest languages. The language has gradually evolved after overcoming many obstacles and ups and downs. Despite facing many mischievous attempts and conspiracies at different times, due to the love and sincerity of the Bangla speaking people, Bengal has gained a very respectable seat and status all over the world.

The language movement of '52 is the final example of establishing the rights and dignity of mother tongue. Such a rare instance of self-sacrifice for language is second to none in the history of the world.

The February is called the month of language and Bengali had to sacrifice lives for that language. A language called Bangla was snatched with fresh blood from the chest. This is the only event in the history of the world where so many people died for the right to speak their mother tongue.

The establishment of the mother tongue Bangla on 21 February 1952 bound the entire Bengali nation in a close bond of unity. Because of the unity, it was possible to establish the mother tongue that day. The nation has not forgotten those who sacrificed for language even today.

It is rare in the history of the world that Bangladesh has set a shining example of love for language this month and that is why Bengali and Bangladeshis are very proud of this month at home and abroad. It is also their right.

Respecting that right, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized November 17, 1999, as the International Mother Language Day. Now, February 21 is celebrated as International Mother Language Day in 188 countries around the world, which is a matter of immense joy and pride for the 250 million Bangla speaking people of the world.

In an inaugural address at the Bangla Academy in February 1971, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said, "I declare that the Bangla language will be introduced in all parts of the country from the very day we come to power." On 4 November 1972, Bangla became the state language of independent Bangladesh. 'Article 3' of the Constitution states, "Although the state language of the Republic is constitutionally recognized as Bangla, the use of Bangla at all levels is not very noticeable."

As a result, "Bangla Language Introduction Act-1987" was enacted on March 7, 1987. Section 3 (1) of the Act states, "After the enactment of this Act, documents and correspondence, quizzes and other legal functions of all government offices-courts, semi-government, autonomous bodies in all cases except communication with foreign countries must be in Bangla and it also be written.

According to this section, if any person applies or appeals in any workplace other than Bangla, it will be considered as illegal and invalid.

When this law also failed, the 'Bangla Language Implementation Cell' was formed at the end of 1998. One of its functions was to translate into English the laws enacted in English by the various ministries, departments, autonomous bodies and courts from the British period. This activity was going on loudly for some time but at some point it lost momentum. Today it is almost non-existent.

Even after enactment of law, Bangla could not be introduced at all levels. Bangla was not fully introduced in the High Court either. There is talk of a lack of legal terminology. But some judges have proved in Bangla that if there is goodwill, verdict can be given in Bangla.

Today, after so many years, our beloved mother tongue and culture is being ignored again and again. Nowadays there is an aggression of Western and Hindi language all around. Young people are immersed in western pornographic culture. In the state where Bangla language was supposed to be used at all levels, the lion's share of English language is being used today. Even Bangla is being distorted by mixing it with English and Hindi.

The dream of the brave sons of Bengal, who gave their blood for the introduction and use of Bangla language at all levels, seems to be fading away today. Bangla is neglected everywhere from the individual level to public and private offices, business establishments, law courts and the media.


Various signboards across the country, including the capital Dhaka, are written in English, and wedding and birthday cards are written in English instead of Bangla. In the case of spelling, the standard Bangla rules introduced by the Bangla Academy are not obeyed at all.

Complications persist in our education, especially in higher education, where we could not introduce Bangla. The state needs to have a language policy and language plan and it needs to be from a future perspective.

Nowadays, in many job exams which have ignored Bangla intentionally! Bangla words are being written in English letters in government notices, advertisements and circulars. The names of most of the organizations in the country, media, signboards, the banners are being written in English.

Of course, English has a need and importance as an international language, but that does not mean that the mother tongue needs to be ignored. Many countries, including China, Japan and Cuba, have kept their economic wheel in motion by ignoring of English. So why do we neglect our mother tongue so much?
Poet Rabindranath Tagore rightly said, 'First we want the construction of the mother tongue, then the establishment of a foreign language." After mastering the mother tongue well, Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah, Dr. Suniti Kumar Chattopadhyay and Michael Madhusudan Dutt were multilingual scholars who enriched the Bangla language and literature and brought it to the world court.

There is no substitute for English in this competitive market. As true as this saying is, even if there is salvation by ignoring the mother tongue, we are not free from the sting of conscience.

However, as soon as the month of February arrives, we start a little more Bangaliana. We try our best to make fully Bangla. We continue to try to do more than we have Bangla consciousness and sense of existence in our hearts.

The mother tongue Bangla, in which the heroic children of this nation sacrificed their lives by pouring fresh blood in order to occupy the seat of dignity, cannot be accepted in such a trivial way. So let us all work together to use and establish the Bangla language at all levels.
Md Zillur Rahaman,
Banker and Columnist








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