To Celebrate and Mourn on 21st February, International Mother Language Day

Every human being has an inherent mother tongue of his own in which one begins communicating early from his birth with his mother by using signs and sounds. Every individual has a mother tongue irrespective of race, creed, faith, and religion and dies with that.Even one learns many other languages, mother tongue is the tools in which, he expresses very clearly and spontaneously. One's mother tongue lives in his body and mind. Nelsen Mandela once said, "If you talk to a man in language, he understands that goes to his head, if you talk to him in his language that goes to his heart". UN Former Secretary General Kofi Annan stated that the very essence of belonging, in an increasingly rootless world is to hear a language of one's own to understand and be understood with ease.

21st February, International Mother language day, was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) in November, 1999 and UN General Assembly welcomed the proclamation in it's resolution of 2002 with a message to the world  for  respect and protections of mother tongue, it's role in human development and society,  promotion of multilingualism and prevention of extinction of languages which represents traditions heritage and culture. In a multicultural society, people learn, live and work with many languages but the mother tongue has a unique role. In International fora as United Nations and European Union, functions are delivered with the mother tongue and state languages of the member states.  There, states representative    deliver in their mother tongue.Every state has the state language, which is the mother tongue,spoken by most of the population of that country. For French, Dutch, English, Spanish, Africans, Indians etc.  have their own mother tongue but speak other languages to live in the society with harmony.By learning other languages, nobody can ignore his own mother tongue.To celebrate this day, UN, UNESCO, EU and many states of the world organize events on protection of mother tongue, multilangualism, cultural diversity, digital studies in Covid 19, sustainable development etc.

For recognition of mother tongue as state language, there were many struggles and movement in different parts of the world. Language and cultural movements result to political movement, right to self determination and state sovereignty. The recognition of international mother language day by UNESCO and UN General Assembly has its context to 70 years before, the language movement of East Pakistan (presently Bangladesh) 21st February 1952, when students at Dhaka University and activists brought a manifestation for the recognition of Bengali as the state language of Pakistan, a language spoken by the two third population of Pakistan. Students and activists as Salam, Barkat, Rafique, Jobbar set their lives in the open fire of Pakistani police in manifestation.The manifestation took place, when President of then Pakistan Jinnah declared, "Urdu and Urdu will be the state language of Pakistan". After students being killed by Pakistani forces, whole country protested against Pakistani regime and later Pakistan government recognised Bengali as the state language.

The cultural and language movement of Bengali nation was a protest against Pakistani autocracy, exerciseof states fundamentalism using religion and language andcultural discrimination. History provides the fact that Bengali language movement was the foundation of Bangladesh Independence from Pakistan in 1971.In Bangladesh, this is a public holiday. Government, political leaders, educationists, artists, cultural, women's organisations and general people attend on Provat Feri (a walk to the Language martyr's monument, Shahid Minar with bare foot and flower) with chanting song (Amar vayer rokte rangano ekushe February….) and slogans devoted to Martyr's. Shahid Minaris situated in Dhaka University Campus and in front of Dhaka Medical College, where people pay tribute to the language martyrs. In front of that place, on 21stFebruary 1952, students were killed by the Pakistani police. In whole Bangladesh and Calcutta in India, the day will be celebrated with mourn and victory.

This was on the proposal of expatriate Bangladesh Community in Canada and BangladeshGovernment,UNESCO recognised this day of 21stFebruary 1952 as the international mother language day symbolizing the respect to the sacrifice of the language martyrs for the recognition of own mother tongue, Banglaas state language. This is an unique example where people set their life for own mother language.

UNESCO believes in importance of cultural and linguistic diversities for sustainable societies and leads the way for multilingual education system based on mother tongue which empowers learners to fully take part in society, foster mutual understanding, respect for others and preserving cultural and traditional heritages, rooted in every language around the world. Linguistic diversity is increasingly threatened as more and more languages disappear. Globally 40% of the population does not have any access to the education in the language they speak or understand. According to UN 43% of the estimated 6000 languages, spoken in the world are endangered. When a language disappears, one culture, tradition and heritage also disappear.  Thus, the intention of this day is to promote awareness of linguistic, cultural diversity and multilingualism and protects languages of the world.

Celebration of International mother language day is very relevant to the multilingual society of Belgium, where people speak languages as Nederland's,French, and German with a message of respecting mother tongue and other learned languages.  European Union has 24 official languages with which EuropeanParliament, Commission and institutions discharge their duties. Parliament members give their presentation in their own mother tongue, officialEU documents published in different languages and information services are provided in member states languages. International Mother language day be celebrated in Europe and Belgium with the message of cultural diversity, mutilanguism, harmony, living together and contributing to European society. Building a Shahid Minar in heart of Europe Brussels or EuropeanParliament, the monument for language martyrs is particularly important to express respect to mother tongue. Let us celebrate mother tongue with tribute to language martyrs.


 Jahangir Chowdhury is based in Brussels, Belgium.