Students and women had a bold role in the language movement

The rights of the language took place immediately after the establishment of Pakistan. The movement was a brave struggle against the discriminatory role of the central ruling class of Pakistan against Bengalis. The students and youth were the main actors and artisan of all progressive movement. Therefore, the language movement was identified as the movement of the students. However, it is called the 'student movement'.

The student movement has become a mass movement. The specific significance of this statement is that the student movement became a mass movement in the public and elsewhere with the active support and participation of the working people.

The incident first took place in Dhaka on February 22 and then in various parts of the country including district-sub-division-police station all over East Bengal. Thus the language movement, especially the Ekushey Movement, became a public movement in East Bengal, which is historically remarkable movement.

During the time of language movement, the women's participation was not so easy. The Muslim society was very conservative. Participation in politics by women was a difficult event. It is not difficult to understand how difficult it was for the female students to join the language movement in such a disruptive environment. It is remarkable that students of different ages have joined the language movement by overcoming the adverse situation.

In 1948, a Literary Cultural Conference held at Curzon Hall. In the conference, a strong call was launched from the speech of female leader Laila Samad when United Front, Fajlul Haque cabinet was in power. Yet in the cities of East Bengal, including the provincial capital city of Dhaka, the female students took courage and crossed the barrier, attended meetings, participated in protest marches, raised slogans.

In this regard, the role of Dhaka is most important. The students of Dhaka University had the role of leader. Other senior, junior, politician or merely native-speaking students led by Shafia Khatun participated in the language movement.

Their best role is in the Ekushey Movement. Meetings, rallies, processions. Among the notable women, Halima Khatun, Roshan Ara Bachchu, Sara Taifur, Sufia Ahmed, Shamsunnahar, Khorsheda Khanam belong to Dhaka University student. Eden's students had a strong role after Dhaka University.

The role of the students of Kamrunnesa Girls' School in the aforementioned obstructive conditions was as extraordinary as courageous at that time. A large part of them was present at the meeting of Amtala on the morning of Ekushey February.

How dare they walk away from the remote area of the University Amtala premises- really a matter of astonishment?  Among them, the prominent Kazi Khaleda Khatun (as a doctor of Dhaka Medical College), Julekha Haque, Raushan Ahmed organized the students and brought them to the Arts Building premises. By following Kamrunnesa Girls School, many of the female students of the Muslim Girls School and Bangla Bazar Girls' School participated in the movement.

Mitford students had an important role in the language movement of Ekushey. They are again in progressive genre. There is a two-party democracy. For example, the leading student, Halima Khatun, Fatema Chowdhury, Nargis Adityar and Bithi had a significant role in organizing the students by taking part in various activities.

Not only the students but also the older women not only supported the Ekushey language movement in spontaneous linguistic motivation, but also played a strong role in the ideals and programs. For example, on February 20 (12) many women from a distance attended a large rally of women at Abhay Das Lane, 42. It was presided over by Sufia Kamal. The student was present at Sanjida Khatun.

Besides, the women of Azimpur colony also unitedly created history through strong support for the language movement. From personal experience, we can say that despite the opposition of 3, the young women and young people of Dhaka have given their sincere support as the youth and youth of old Dhaka played an active role in the Ekushey Movement.

The cordial support from the women wearing the burqa is unforgettable. Likewise, the sympathy of the young women of Dhaka - the language-lovers gathered in the vicinity of Armanitola Maidan, interested in the ceiling of the adjoining building during the procession on Nawabpur Road, never matched as floral. Yet this truth cannot be denied.

It is important to note that in almost every district and subdivision, student leadership was also formed to organize the movement of college or school students, some of whom have already been mentioned. The female students of Sirajganj were not behind. School students like Meher Nigar, Noor Elahi and Bijli played a significant role in the Ekushey movement.

But from that time, Sylhet's accompanying women had important roles. However, the most explosive incident was the extraordinary role of the Mamtaz Begum, the head teacher of Morgan School in Narayanganj, who organized the students there and set fire to Narayanganj. Ultimately, her family life was ruined, leading a tragic life.

In fact, we must collect and gather information about the women activists who was involved in the Language Movement within and from out of Dhaka to even at the remote areas of other districts.  It is true that 1952 created 1971. Finally we earned Bangla and Bangladesh with the sacrifice of the martyrs in Language Movement as well as the martyrs of the Liberation War.

We must keep in mind that February 21 is not only a Day for us, but also it is a Day for all the people of the world, as it is now International Mother Language Day; declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1999. 

Women first went to the streets during the curfew. They broke section 144, avoided police barricade, assembled at Amtola at Dhaka University campus and joined the movement. Dr. Halima Khatun, Dr. Sufia Khatun, Rawshan Ara Bachchu, Sufia Ibrahim, Fazilatunnessa, Rani Bhattacharia, Pratibha Mutsuddi, Sofia Khan, Zulekha, Nuri, Sara Taifur, Sufia Ahmed, Safia Khatun, et al were among the protesters. Some of them were arrested and harassed.

People in Narayanganj strongly protested the arrest of a schoolteacher and language movement activist Momtaj Begum. Later the government proposed to sign a bond in exchange of her release but she refused. On her refusal, her husband divorced her and even did not allow her daughter to live with her.

Momtaj Begum was also terminated from her school as that was a government school. Later she joined another school but could not survive for dirty politics of her colleagues and their conspiracy. She died all alone after suffering a hardship, starvation, abandonment. In addition, she was socially excluded as people called her a 'bad woman' who had dared to go even to prison for Bangla.

The new generation and the world know very little about the contribution of women in our Language Movement. It is true that 1952 created 1971. Finally, we earned Bangla and Bangladesh with the sacrifice of the martyrs of the Language Movement as well as the martyrs of the Liberation War. We must keep in mind that February 21 is not only a day for us, but also a day for all the people of the world, as it is now International Mother Language Day, declared by UNESCO in 1999.

Prominent freedom fighter Dr. Laila Parveen Banu told that Liberation War of 1971 has made all classes of girls and women of Bangladesh courageous, confident and encouraged to march forward. So the empowerment of women in Bangladesh was accomplished by them. But we could not still build a Bangladesh with gender equality, which we dreamt of in 1971 and fought for.

Only a small number of women in our country are empowered, those who are well off; but unfortunately poor girls and women have been fighting to survive because most of them are disempowered. Thousands of girls are working in the garment industries and contributing a lot to earn foreign currency, moving the wheel of mainstream development; what is the government doing for them, nothing.

Dr. Lalila added that we expected a social change and democracy in our country, but that change did not happen and democracy is not yet established. 42 years after our independence, women still work in the brickfields, but they do not get equal wages as men. So, discrimination against girls and women exists in many sectors, and in their families also.

Women's contribution must be discussed in all the forums and documented properly in all the documents of the Language Movement and the Liberation War. Above all, women's contribution should be given greater emphasis. Their active participation and invaluable personal, social and collective contribution helped us to be winners in many movements. Women have struggled and fought equally like men.

If we feel proud of Amar Ekushey on February 21, Victory Day on December 16, and the Shahbagh movement and others, women must get their due share of credit. We pay a tribute to all the martyrs and activists. Finally, we can say that the role of women must be highlighted and in no way it should be ignored. Again, the role of government in the language movement must be declared as a matter pride and prestige for nation.


The writer is a columnist & researcher