PM Sheikh Hasina for enriching and ensuring proper use of Bangla in every sphere

She urged the mass media to be more careful about proper use and practice of Bangla language saying the future generation must learn the skill of appropriate use of the mother language to protect its dignity.

The prime minister said this while inaugurating a three-day Ekushey programme organized by International Mother Language Institute (IMLI) at Segunbagicha here on Sunday, 21st February.

Sheikh Hasina gave assurances of all support of her government for research for further development of Bangla and preservation of other mother languages of the world.

A person can get proper education through mother language, which is crucial to groom a person with the true spirit of patriotism and native culture, she said.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid presided over the function organized by the IMLI marking the Martyrs Day and International Mother Language Day-2016.

Bangladesh Bank Governor dr Atiur Rahman presented a keynote paper on "Ekushey February: Bangalir Mononer Batighar" while Director General of the Institute Zinaat Imtiaz Ali, Head and Representative of UNESCO in Dhaka office Beatrice Kaldun and Secretary of the Education Ministry M Sohrab Hossain also spoke on the occasion.

The prime minister said along with the mother language a person certainly can learn other languages if needed in their life. But, it's painful when we see that the mother language is being ignored or used in a distorted manner.

"It's also painful to see some people ignore mother language and take their kids to in English medium school considering it a prestige issue," she said.

"But, how many students of English medium could show their excellence in their academic life. Their number is negligible. So, why will people have such type of attitude?"

The prime minister said her government has taken initiatives for increased use of Bangla in practising science and knowledge as well as in information technology for further development of the Bangla language. Bangla keypad and Bangla domain were introduced in mobile telephone set and Bangla is being used popularly in online communication, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said February 21 is a graceful day in a thousand years' history of the Bangalee nation. The day is now being observed in 198 countries across the world and it has brightened image of Bangalee nation abroad.

The prime minister said the attack of the Pakistani rulers on Bangla was a planned blow. They wanted to destroy the values of our traditional culture.

"Bangla is the existence of Bengali people. Our existence becomes at stake when our mother language is attacked. No nation can tolerate dishonoring of the mother language," she said.

On the occasion, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and Head and Representative of UNESCO in Dhaka office Beatrice Kaldun handed over to the prime minister the UNESCO certificate recognizing the IMLI as a Category-II organization of the UNESCO.

Paying her glowing tributes to the language martyrs, Sheikh Hasina said the Language Movement is one the glorious events in the history of long struggle of Bangalees.

The struggle gained ground in 1948 with the formation of "Rashtrabhasha Sangram Parishad" which was proposed by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she said.

In four years from 1948, the Pakistani rulers put Bangabandhu behind the bar four times for his role in the Language Movement. But Pakistani rulers could not suppress the demand of the Bangalees as Salam, Rafiq, Barkat, Jabbar and many other unknown youths created a new chapter in the contemporary world history through embracing martyrdom for mother language, she said.

The supreme sacrifice on February 21, 1952 had created a renaissance in the spirit of Bengali people, which took instant shape through construction of the 'Shahid Minar' as a symbol against fundamentalism, terrorism, alien culture and all kind of unfairness and injustice to protest.

Because of that reason Pakistani rulers and evil forces against Bangalee nationalism time and again destroyed the Shahid Minars. Pakistani rulers also tried to introduce Arabic and Latin alphabets in Bangla and banned literature of Rabindranath, which was vehemently rejected by the people of Bangladesh.

Unfortunately, a section of people of Bangladesh came in support of the Pakistani rulers at that time. Such betrayers still exist in Bangladesh, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the usurpers of power after the brutal killing of Bangabandhu in 1975 took the country to the same direction of Pakistani rulers. After 21 years Bangladesh could get back its track to nourish the spirit of the language movement.

She said Bengali people have achieved everything at the cost of huge sacrifice. So the Awami League, whenever it came to power, tried to protect the dignity of hard earned independence and mother language.

Bangabanhu first introduced Bangla language in the international forum by delivering address at the UN General assembly in Bangla. The Awami League government played a catalytic role in implementing the initiative of two Bangladeshi expatriates to earn UN recognition to immortal Ekushey, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the message of Ekushey has been reached all over the world with the observance of the International Mother Language Day. She urged all to be imbued with the ideals of Ekushey and devote themselves to spreading its spirit all over the world.