Language issue
Reading your Ekushey edition, I was struck, once more, with the strange contradiction between the genuine feeling for the celebration - its history and meaning - and the shame that admits how badly your mother language is often spoken, especially by the young. Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury, in particular, spoke of this and the resistance to Bengali-speaking that exists among some who prefer English.
However, may I point out that some of these 'English Language snobs' do not speak English well either. I wince when I hear some of them, showing off what they think is their mastery of the language. “I'm not good in Bengali!” they protest. “AT,” I drone. “You are good AT something!”
I think the heart of the matter is that to speak, read and write either language (any language?) really well is a lot of hard work and some are prepared to do it and some are not. The basic problem is not preference but laziness! Moreover, some lazy children, when they discover that the early stages of English may be easier for them than the early stages of Bengali are very good at manipulating their parents!
When ideas for the reform of the education system are being mooted (including the horrors of a 'unified system') we must all accept that it is NOT true that 'Bengali-medium education = good Bengali-speaking and English-medium education = bad Bengali-speaking.' It is much more complicated than that! Hard-working students from good English-medium schools can be excellent at Bengali - and my hat comes off to those from Bengali medium schools whose English is excellent.
Yes, there are a few parents of pupils in English-medium schools who say, “I don't want my child to speak Bengali!” but, thank God, they are not many and the school authorities can stand firm. In a good English-medium school, however much they jump up and down, their child is not allowed to give up Bengali, even if their American passport IS in their pocket….
Let us promote serious language learning in all places of education.
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