February 21 is a glorious day for all the people who speak the Bengali language all over the world. This day is well known as International Mother Language Day. There is an important chapter in the history behind the celebration of International Mother Language Day on 21st February. After reviewing all the topics of International Mother Language Day, we present today’s International Mother Language Day essay. Introduction, The context of the International Mother Language Day, Initiative to establish International Mother Language Day, Celebrating International Mother Language Day, Significance of International Mother Language Day, Mother Tongue and Literature, Mother Tongue and Present Bangladesh, Distortion and contempt of mother tongue, Conclusion all details are in below:
Introduction:
Since the dawn of civilization, people have resorted to various means of expression. Sometimes he made gestures, sometimes he drew pictures, sometimes he made various sounds from his mouth. Language is the collective organized form of these different kinds of scattered sounds emanating from the mouths of people for ages to express their thoughts.
Hundreds of thousands of languages and specific language groups have been formed over a long period of time to express the thoughts of people in different regions of the world. Likewise, the mother tongue is the language that children of a certain group learn to express themselves through their traditional language from birth. The mother tongue of any group or individual is not the only means of expression for him.
That particular language may be associated with the traditions of history, historical culture, and great emotions. Needless to say, the language that touches the hidden thoughts in the heart, the emotions that will be attached to it. International Mother Language Day is celebrated all over the world on 21st February every year with the aim of honoring and respecting that passion of the people, the history, and the great culture associated with the mother tongue of everyone.
The context of International Mother Language Day:
We have to go back to 1952 to understand the context of International Mother Language Day from the very beginning. Independent Bangladesh has not been established yet. At that time, today’s glorious Bangladesh was known as East Pakistan among the newly divided Pakistan from India. Although the majority of the population of Pakistan is Urdu speaking, Bengali was the mother tongue of East Pakistan.
But unfortunately, the ruling class of Pakistan wants to impose the Urdu language on the people of this region. Many ancient histories, traditions, and emotions are associated with the mother tongue. With the spread of a language comes the expansion of the traditions and emotions of that language group. Therefore, then East Pakistan erupted in protest against the forcible imposition of Urdu. After the partition of the country in 1947, the oppression of the Bengali language began to intensify. The language movement also intensified in protest.
In 1952 it reached its peak. On 21st February of that year, some fresh lives were lost prematurely due to the brutal firing of the police on the young students. Who was protesting for making Bengali one of the state languages of East Pakistan? One of them is Rafiq, Jabbar, Salam, Shafiul, Barkat, and many others. This day has been marked as Martyr’s Day in the history of Bangladesh. To commemorate this great day, the United Nations has taken the initiative to observe International Mother Language Day on this day since 2010.
Initiative to establish International Mother Language Day:
As far as is known in history, Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam, are two Bengalis living in Vancouver, Canada. Were the first to take initiative for the establishment of International Mother Language Day. In their overall initiative, an organization called “Mother Language Lovers of the World” was first established.
After a series of ups and downs, a proposal was made at the UNESCO Paris session held on 16 November 1999 to declare. 21 February as International Mother Language Day. If the resolution is passed with the support of a total of 18 countries in the same session. The International Mother Language Day will be observed with due dignity in the member countries of the Commonwealth on 21st February from the following year.
Then in the 75th session of the General Assembly on 21st October 2010, the United Nations itself took the initiative to observe 21st February as International Mother Language. This proposal was raised by Bangladesh. In May of that year, the resolution was unanimously passed by the 113-member UN Committee on Information. The establishment of International Mother Language Day is in full swing.
Celebrating International Mother Language Day:
One’s own mother tongue is one of the most cherished and perhaps the closest thing to all the people of the world. People celebrate a day dedicated to the language with great enthusiasm. On this day, people all over the world are immersed in the glorious practice of culture, tradition, and history associated with their language. Never before has there been such a massive celebration of language all over the world. It is like a language festival.
Probably the purest form of this language-based celebration can be seen in Bangladesh. Doubt whether any other nation has a history of so much self-sacrifice in loving one’s own language. After the independence of Bangladesh, the national holiday was declared every year. By commemorating the day of 21st February as the day of martyrs. On this day, the President, Prime Minister, and other great scholars of the country came to the central Shaheed Minar to pay their respects to the martyrs of the history of Bangladesh.
In order to highlight the significance of Martyr’s Day, various cultural programs are organized on this day all over the country. Various international personalities also gather in Bangladesh on this day. The glory of the language movement began to be broadcast on television and radio. Bangla Academy organizes Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka throughout the month of February.
Significance of International Mother Language Day:
The importance of the mother tongue in human life is unquestionable. Without a mother tongue, human existence can be in crisis. The history, tradition, and culture of a nation may face a crisis. Language helps to express the emotions hidden inside the human heart. So the significance of a day dedicated to that language is also infinite in our social life. This significance is not limited to any particular race or language group. On the contrary, it has crossed all boundaries and is now globalized in the current of cultural globalization.
Thru the party of worldwide mom Language Day. People discover ways to respect their very own language in addition to all of the languages of the arena. By way of nowadays, humans become aware of the history and subculture of their state. By celebrating the festival of their own language, the mind of every human being becomes inquisitive about the history of their language and nation.
Naturally, the whole human society is culturally rich. Moreover, by learning to respect each other’s language, human civilization became immersed in the mantra of mutual coexistence. We need to remember that it is impossible for human civilization to survive without mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. The observance of International Mother Language Day adds such a feather to the crown of the struggle for the survival of human civilization and healthy culture.
Mother Tongue and Literature:
Mother tongue and literary practice are closely intertwined. To understand the true meaning of this statement, we must first understand the nature of literature. Literature is the imagination within our minds that we want to bring to life through language. Everything that is natural and natural in this world is beautiful. People naturally give the form of literary imagination in the inner circle of their mind through thinking in their mother tongue.
So if a person is weak in his mother tongue, it becomes difficult for him to give shape to rich literature. Even if such literature is developed, it loses its naturalness and becomes weak by bypassing Sundar.
It can be seen that the contribution of the mother tongue of the writer or author is the biggest behind. All the world-class literature created in this world. Because even if there is infinite knowledge in any other language of the world. One can think as smoothly or purely in one’s own mother tongue. But due to lack of emotion, that softness or depth of thought does not come.
Mother Tongue and Present Bangladesh:
Bangladesh has always been more aware and committed than others towards the protection of its mother tongue. Hundreds of young people gave their lives to protect the language. Thousands of lives were lost prematurely. The role of Bangladesh in protecting that language is undeniable. Bengali is the mother tongue of this small country in the heart of South Asia; This country loves the Bengali language like its own mother.
It is said that Bangladesh has kept the culture and culture of the Bengali language alive with utmost care. As the national language of Bangladesh. Bengali has taken its place in the heart of the world. Bangladesh has proved that people who adopt this language do not hesitate to shed blood to protect their culture and culture.
Distortion and contempt of mother tongue:
In the present age, the mother tongue has not been spared from the widespread practice of subculture in the world. It is true that language is a lively and progressive medium of human expression. The influence of many other languages is always noticeable in every language of the world. But that said, adding words borrowed from another language by distorting one’s own mother tongue can never be acceptable.
In this 21st century globalization, more people want to be citizens of the world. The more the contempt for their mother tongue grows. We need to keep in mind that no one can ideally master any other language in the world. If he does not speak his mother tongue well. The mother tongue contains the historical heritage and culture of a people.
Besides, mother tongue also contributes the most to building the overall social character. Therefore, the intrusion of subcultures in the mother tongue. Distortion of language and contempt in any society bring about the moral decay of the society. Which later leads to the downfall of a population.
Conclusion:
The mother tongue is the mother tongue. Just as a mother cherishes her child with affection. The mother tongue cherishes the culture of a particular language group in the soft bond of history. That is why mother tongue is an absolute passion for all of us. We need to be vigilant in order to protect our emotions.
We have to take away our own history and language tradition and get rid of distortions and subcultures. In addition to globalizing the new generation. They also need to be made aware of their own language and culture. We must remember that in the practice of our mother tongue there is “comfort of soul. The joy of mind and peace of soul”. Only if these goals are achieved will the celebration of our International Mother Language Day be successful.