Sacrifices they made...
Wednesday, 01 February 2012
What is 21st February? It could have been a random date on the English calendar. However Bengalis being the passionate and strong willed people they are made this day a representation of free will for the entire human race.
The Language Movement was the pioneer of many Bengali nationalist movements, including the 6-point movement and ultimately the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. In Bangladesh, 21 February is observed as Language Movement Day, a national holiday. The ‘Shaheed Minar’ monument was constructed near Dhaka Medical College in memory of the movement and its victims. The Bengali Language Movement was a political endeavour to advocate Bengali as an official language of Pakistan. This recognition would have enabled the usage of Bengali in government affairs.
The state of Pakistan was formed in 1947, its two regions, East Pakistan and West Pakistan, were divided along cultural, geographical, and linguistic lines. In 1948 the government’s declaration of Urdu being the sole national language sparked raged protests from Bengali-speaking majority of East Pakistan. To prevent the mass from raising their voice against this injustice the Central government banned public meetings and rallies.
With Urdu becoming the state language, the educated society of East Pakistan would become 'illiterate' and 'ineligible' for government positions. Students of the University of Dhaka and other colleges of the city organized a general strike in 11 March 1948 to protest the omission of Bengali language from official. The movement demanded that Bengali be declared an official language of Pakistan. Police attacked the procession injuring several students and leaders. Continuing strikes were observed from 12 March to 15 March. To bring these rough times undercontrol the chief minister Nazimuddin signed an accord with the student leaders agreeing to some of the terms and conditions, without giving in to the demand that Bengali be made a state language.
On 21 March at a public addressing at the Racecourse Ground the Governor-General of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah declared that only Urdu symbolized the spirit of Muslim nations and would remain as the state language. Jinnah delivered a similar speech at Curzon Hall of the University of Dhaka on 24 March.
The Urdu-Bengali controversy was reignited when Jinnah's successor, governor-general Khawaja Nazimuddin, loyally defended the "Urdu-only" policy in a speech on 27 January 1952.On 31 January, the ‘All-Party Central Language Action Committee’. The central government's proposal of writing the Bengali language in Arabic script was heatedly opposed by the committee. The action committee called for an all out protest on 21 February, including strikes and rallies.
The students of the University of Dhaka and other political activists defied the law and organised a protest on 21 February 1952. The lives lost by many student demonstrators motivated a widespread movement led by the Awami Muslim League. The police arrested several students who were trying to move away from the crowd. This arrest enraged the students and they gathered around the East Bengal Legislative Assembly. Suddenly a group of students started trying to storm the building. The police opened fire instantly, killing Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abul Barkat, and Abbul Jabbar.
The deaths of these young college students flashed across all the news channels. People were shocked, mournful, and especially angry at the killings of such young protestors, who were only standing up for their ideals.
In 1956, the Pakistani central government granted official status to the Bengali language. The sacrifices of the boys were remembered and honoured by their people. In 1999, a group called UNESCO declared 21 February International Mother Language Day because of the Language Movement.
The JAAGO Foundation and ‘Volunteer For Bangladesh’ salutes the youth who made it possible for us to speak freely in a language we treasure so much. Let us all make a silent promise to ourselves to never let these sacrifices go to waste and help build the nation these patriots dreamt of.
