Feature

Because of you…

By: Yamin Tauseef Jahangir

I kept on staring at the hand that was moving back and forth. The green crayon went on scribbling on the white paper. After som time the hand stopped. It reached out for the red crayon and the result was the same. Her eyes were full of child like innocence; the desire to know the truth, the feeling of happiness was so visible in them. She stopped suddenly and looked at me, she smiled and ushered me to come near her. I did as I was told and she handed me the paper. My small cousin drew a flag of our country, red and green and it was written 'I love my Bangladesh.' I asked her why of all the things she drew this particular thing. She answered, “Our school teacher said how much we sacrificed to get our mother tongue, so this is the least I can do to show my respect for the people who died for us.” I was very overwhelmed to see an eight year old speaking like that. I returned her the paper and she went with her drawings.

Whenever 'Ekushey Februaury' came in my mind it always brought me thoughts of people who contributed enormously for our independence and some have sacrificed their lives in achieving it. This day is also observed as the International Mother Language Day. The incidents of language movement took place in 1952, the year which still remains deep in our memory, one which gives us the feeling of who we are and what is our identity. Things today wouldn't have been this way, people wouldn't have had the freedom of speech if we were not independent. It was only for those people who made us believe in ourselves, that we are unique and have our own part of rights on issues. It was their protest that made us realize about our true strength; they stood united with heads held up high against the blazing machine guns, neither to surrender nor to obey. They were young and listened to their hearts, they did not care about their family, their pleasure, their desires; all they ever cared for was to make our nation free. They were true patriots whose efforts never went in vein. We earned our freedom, we earned our rights, and we have shown that we know how to protect our nation. Ekushey February was the day from which onwards our lives changed forever.

I heard from my grandparents how brave we had been in past, how we challenged our enemies, how brutally we were been tortured, killed and slaughtered. But our mind was focused, we had one aim, independence. No matter how hard they tried, they never managed to take away our pride, we never bent and neither did we break our promise. The sacrifices were high, the death toll was heavy, but we reached the other side. Our country is our pride, our language is our pride, our martyrs are our pride, and we will never compromise anything for our pride. Today we speak in Bangla because we earned this right, through millions of blood shed. We are now recognized as a separate country, a nation that strives for success, although we are lagging behind in the pace, but we will catch up soon. We all have that raging inferno hidden within our hearts, it is only about time we understand this. The generation has changed, mentality changed, but we must hold on to our roots and never should allow any sort of cultural or other traditional infiltration in our lives. I saw my small cousin talking about independence and trying to understand what made it happen, we also do the same. I probably will never understand the sentiments of a freedom fighter since I never experienced those horrendous moments, praying every day to see the daylight, to have a sigh of relief, to think that that day would be the last day of a person's life, but that does not mean I would not care for my country. It's because of you people our nation today stands single, because of you we have a mother tongue of our own, because of you we have a recognition, because of you we are united, and I salute you all. I am a Bangladeshi, and like all other citizens of my country, I feel proud that this is my birth place.

( Student of East West University)