Use of Bangla in every sector urged
Language movement veterans and eminent citizens of Bangladesh yesterday urged the government to take effective measures for introducing Bangla language in all sectors of the country for ensuring its due dignity.
The language movement in 1952 had paved the way for the Liberation War that finally established independent Bangladesh, they said.
They were addressing a discussion held on the celebration of the 11th founding anniversary of World University of Bangladesh at Kalabagan playground in the capital.
Language movement hero Dr Ahmed Rafique said though the demand for introducing Bangla at every level after its recognition as state language was vibrant, that demand has not been fulfilled in areas such as higher education level and in courtrooms in the last 61 years.
Professor Emeritus of Dhaka University Dr Anisuzzaman said the language movement is a grand incident in the history of the nation.
“We have both our state language and an independent Bangladesh but I fear we are losing our language,†he added.
Sultana Kamal, former adviser to a caretaker government, said, “We can only acknowledge the sacrifices of the language movement veterans but we can never repay their sacrifices.â€
“If they (language movement veterans) did not come forward for the language movement, we would not have our independence later,†she added.
Talking about the Shahbagh movement, Sultana Kamal said the protesters are now struggling to fulfil the incomplete achievements of the liberation through raising their voices.
But the anti-liberation forces are still trying to intimidate the country's independence with their destructive activities like tearing down the national flag and desecrating the Shaheed Minars, she added.
Language movement veteran Dr Halima Khatun said, “We do not feel we owe to our language movement despite getting an independent Bangladesh.â€
Begum Rawson-Ara-Bachchu, another language heroine, said women had equal participation in the language movement and now they are contributing in different fields in the country.
But the tragedy is that women are still suffering from different forms of torture in the society, she added.
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