A fight for identity

In the words of Mary Pipher: "Language imparts identity, meaning and perspective to our human conditions''. Truly, language is intrinsic to the expression of culture. As a means of communicating values, beliefs and customs, it has an important social function. It fosters feelings of group identity and solidarity. It is the means by which culture, its traditions and shared values may be conveyed and preserved. Many historians argue that language is the bedrock of nationalism, for they believe — and perhaps with some propriety — that language generates a common bonding to nationalist feeling. Hence, it is no wonder that language has had influence over human emotions to the extent of inspiring people to even revolt in situations where their right to language was tried to be snatched. There has been linguistic nationalism in England, in East Europe and in the Indian subcontinent. But perhaps no language movement can match the intensity of struggle that occurred in East Pakistan. Not only is this episode of struggle laden with bloodshed, it also ushered in a spirit of struggle for independence amongst the natives. The culmination of this struggle had been the formation of Bangladesh as a separate nation state in 1971. The Bengali-speaking community of East Pakistan rose against the imposition of Urdu as the state language. They were emotionally stirred, as to them their language was their identity.

The relation between language and cultural recognition is not strange. Millions of people have fought to preserve their languages. When it comes to the struggle for the Bengali Language, the fight in East Pakistan is not the first of its kind. It happened before the Indian Independence in the province of Bihar when residents of erstwhile Manbhum area declared protest, as they believed that Hindi was forced upon them. The problem continued even after Indian independence and could be partially resolved with the inclusion of a part of that area into West Bengal in the form of Purulia District. The language movement in East Pakistan, however, was of a different dimension. It saw nationwide participation. It all started on a massive scale when on March 21, 1948, Muhammad Ali Jinnah made an announcement. He declared Urdu as the state language for both parts of Pakistan. This opened Pandora's Box. It was beyond the imagination of Jinnah that the announcement would provoke a reaction of such gravity as to unleash something like the Bangladesh Liberation Movement. Individuals like Shamsul Haq, Shawkat Ali, M Sirajul Islam and Dhirendranath Datta led the protest. The government retaliated strongly. The Bengali-speaking community of East Pakistan constituted a population of 44 million out of the total 69 million population of Pakistan. Hence, they could not tolerate that their language of Bengali would not attain official status. Even before Jinnah's announcement, the first 'Rashtrabhasa Sangram Parishad' was formed in 1947. Parliament members like Shamsul Haq convened a committee to push for Bengali as a state language. Assembly member Dhirendranath Datta proposed a legislation in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan to allow members to speak in Bengali and authorise its use for official purposes. When the Pakistan Public Service Commission removed Bengali from the list of approved subjects and also from currency notes, public discontent was widely expressed. Students gathered in the University of Dhaka on December 8, 1947 — stating their demand for making Bengali the official language.

The language movement in East Pakistan was unique in the sense that both the Hindus and the Muslim community joined hands. To them language was the common bonding. When Jinnah overruled the contract between Khawaja Nazimuddin and the students, further outrage followed. The intellectual circle of East Pakistan, including writers like Abul Mansur Ahmed, argued that if Urdu was made the official language, then the Bengali speaking community of East Pakistan would eventually become illiterate and, consequently, ineligible for government positions. It was a ploy, as many believed in East Pakistan, to ensure that the people of West Pakistan dominate the administrative system.

The Bengali-Urdu controversy was rekindled by the speech of Governor-General Khawaja Nazimuddin, delivered on January 27, 1952. An action committee was formed which protested vehemently against the government's proposal of writing Bengali in Arabic script. On February 21, 1952, students started gathering in the campus of Dhaka University, defying section 144. Tension mounted and, as a result of police-firing, a number of students like Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abul Barkat and Abdul Jabbar were killed. These people became martyrs for the cause of linguistic freedom. This was no mean an incident, for it gave birth to cry for freedom. The bloodshed of the martyrs did not go in vain. After four years of conflict, the Pakistani government granted second official language status to Bengali in 1956. A prolonged and grueling effort that cost human lives and resources saw the emergence of a free nation — Bangladesh — under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, with Bengali as their language. In 1999, UNESCO declared February 21 as 'International Mother Language Day'. It has been a fitting tribute to the sacrifice of those who laid down their lives to secure the dignity of their language.

Today, when we carry forward the legacy of the sacrifice made on February 21, 1952, we find it to be a global phenomenon. Bengali-speaking people all over the world, united by their mother tongue, celebrate the day with cultural programmes, discussions and reminiscences. Seventy years have passed and yet the blood of those martyrs still appear red. We emotively remember them who uncompromisingly strengthened the pride of Bengali language — "Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano Ekushe February / Ami Bhulite Pari?'' The day also reminds us that language is not just communication alone, it is also a powerful tool to preserve the culture and heritage of a race.

The impact of 'Bhasa Andolan' — as it is popularly known — has taken a multi-faceted manifestation. The date February 21 is a testimony to freedom of language for millions. It is not about four deaths; it is about the resurrection of hope and inspiration. Many have created literature of different genres demonstrating the innate right of an individual to express his mind in mother tongue. Worldwide study endorses the significance of primary education in mother tongue only. Commemoration of "International Mother Language Day'' is also a promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism around the world. It is essential to understand the role of indigenous languages in development and reconciliation. Recent survey shows that nearly 30 per cent of the global population cannot have access to education in their mother tongue. This is serious because if students do not learn in their native language, their next generation can ignore the language of their predecessors. Language is life and it needs to be preserved at any cost, and February 21 is the date to take that pledge.

The writer is an educator from Kolkata. Views expressed are personal