Bangladesh is a country that has countless numbers of reasons to attract international and domestic tourists and the cultural history of Bangladesh is certainly on that list. As a travel blogger for Simonseeks.com, I have travelled to many parts of the world, and have been able to explore many different cultures along the way.
At the begging of 2010 I visited Bangladesh during a 3 month trip around South Asia. It wasn’t my first trip but there is so much to see and do, it felt like it was all a new adventure. I was lucky enough to be visiting during February and therefore got to experience part of the popular event that is “Language Movement Day”. Language Movement Day is a unique part of the culture of Bangladesh. Every year on the 21st February, this day is observed to pay tribute to Salam, Barkat, Rafique, Jabbar and some other brave people laid down their lives for recognition of Bangla as an official language of then East Pakistan, in 1952. This day that reminds everyone the importance of restoring the rights of languages that are endangered by cultural colonization. Thanks to the sacrifices of others, Bangla is currently the fourth largest spoken language in the world. The 21st is recognised as a public holiday and people from all over the country get together to give thanks for the actions of others.
Unfortunately I wasn’t present on the actual day but arrived in Bangladesh a few days later. I did manage to go to the site of the Martyrs Monument, aka the Shaheed Minar and there were still people who were around that had come to pay their respects. The atmosphere was very sad yet humbling. The temple that stands today is not the original temple that was built. The first was built in 1952 in a different place nearby but was destroyed by the government within 72 hours of being built.
Like most places around the world, members of various political, socio-cultural and professional organisations will always disagree on certain subjects, but it is important that everybody realises the importance of history and individual cultures. There is some disappointment at the current state of Bangla language in Kolkata, and some people believe, rich non-Bengalis have taken over the neo-affluent areas in Kolkata and how they have even colonized Rabi Thakur’s (Rabindranath Tagore) Shanti Niketon by building villas nearby this renowned centre of excellence in Bangla language and culture. Hopefully with remembrance events such as Language Movement Day, future generations of all cultures can learn and be proud of their histories!
Contributed by :
Roxanne,
Liverpool, England.
Language Movement Day is a pride of our nation and all the Bangla speakers around the earth.Today the day is celebrated as the’International Mother Language Day’ worldwide.
I whole-heartedly thank the writer for sharing the post with us.