Country is Passing Through a Manmade Disaster: PM

"The nation must have to resist the attack with counterattacks to sustain national achievements and take forward the country, and live keeping the nation's head high," she said, adding, "The present situation is a lesson for us to move forward in future."

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a seminar marking Amar Ekushey and International Mother Language Day in the auditorium of International Mother Language Institute (IMLI) here this afternoon.

Terming the current attacks of BNP-Jamaat on the people as attacks of devils in the guise of human beings, she said, "Otherwise, how a human being can burn alive another human being? It's not politics but sheer homicide, which we can't allow to continue."

Eminent educationist and litterateur Selina Hossain presented the keynote paper of the seminar titled "Bhasha Andolon Theke Antarjatik Matri Bhasha Dibas: Nareer Progya" (International Mother Language Day from Language Movement: Wisdom of Womenfolk".

Education Minister Nurul Nahid was in the chair while Education Secretary Nazrul Islam Khan and Director General of the IMLI Prof Jinnat Imtiaz Ali also spoke on the occasion.

The immortal song "Amaar bhaiyer rakte rangano Ekushey February", translated and composed in Marma, Tripura, Bom, and Mro languages, was played on the occasion.

Laying importance on creating awareness in every person against the ongoing violence of BNP and Jamaat, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh became a role model of development for its rapid economic progress.

"It's a big honour for us. But at that time BNP and Jamaat have created such a situation to damage the honour of the country by inviting foreigners for mediation to resolve the so-called political dispute," she said.

In this connection, she reiterated that Bangladesh doesn't need any foreign help to resolve present crisis. "We are capable enough to resolve it," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is a country where every individual irrespective of their religious identity, race, creed and caste would live with full freedom. No inhuman activity can be allowed here, she added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangalee nation has created history by embracing martyrdom for the cause of their mother language and the world has given recognition to their bravery and sacrifice through declaring February 21 as the International Mother Language Day.

But BNP and Jamaat don't want to uphold the dignity, even they don't like to observe Shaheed Dibash and International Mother Language Day, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said 21 February or International Mother Language Day is not a matter of celebration for Bangalees only. The day is for all people who love languages, she added.

The UNESCO recognition has widened the responsibility of Bengali writers and litterateurs to work for protecting all languages across the world, she reminded.

Pointing out the steps taken by her government for promotion of Bengali language and culture, the Prime Minister said the government wants to spread Bangla language worldwide. The government has started the process with the initiative of building a "Digital Bangladesh".

Under the process, Bangla keyboard and Bangla-domain were made. Now the people are enjoying the benefits of the inventions, she said.

After four years of Language Movement, Sheikh Hasina said, the Awami League government declared Bangla as a state language in 1956 with allocation of money for construction of first Shaheed Minar. Bangla got UNESCO recognition on November 17, 1999, because of her government's timely steps, she added.

The Prime Minister said the present government is making relentless efforts to take Bangla language, education, literature and culture to a prestigious position. She sought support of all Bengali-speaking people around the world to make this happen.

The Prime Minister said Father of the Nation took Bangla to a new height by delivering his maiden speech at the UN forum in Bangla. "I'm also following his example," she said.

In this regard, Sheikh Hasina reiterated her proposal for incorporating Bangla as an official language of the UN and said her government is making constant efforts in this regard.

Sheikh Hasina said the present government wants the next generation to grow up with education, patriotism and Bengali culture. For this, they need to learn the proper use of language, she said.

She urged the teachers, parents, the mass media and recreational mediums to be more careful in using and practising correct Bangla language.

The Prime Minister said Bangla regional forms are extraordinary. The small ethnic groups and languages are also a testimony to our rich culture, she said hoping that IMLI would take more effective steps to protect the endangered languages of the country and the world.

The Prime Minister announced introducing an international language and literary award from the IMLI asking the authorities to take necessary measures in this regard.

Sheikh Hasina said 21 February is a glorious day in the thousand year history of the Bengali nation. The day is being observed in 193 countries around the world.

She recalled with deep respect Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Shafiq, Jabbar and known and unknown language martyrs and congratulated all Bengali-speaking people across the world.

She also recalled the two expatriate Bangalees in Canada -- Rafiq and Salam -- and members of International Mother Language Club for their first initiative for achieving the UNESCO recognition.

She said the Awami League government launched the construction of the institute building, but the BNP-Jamaat alliance put the projects on shelve along with many other development projects.

Commending the programme of the IMLI for introducing scientific study on ethnic languages, she said the study would help know the actual state of our linguistic situation and ease planning and management of the language programmes.

The Prime Minister said national and international seminars, workshops, discussion and publication of books and magazines are being undertaken by the IMLI. This trend will continue in future, she hoped.

Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol