DRIKNEWS

Feature

21st February and 21st Century

Subir Das and Sourov Das

21st February is the day in the history of our nation that will never be eclipsed by the journey of time. On this day our gallant stars gave up their lives to reinstate Bangla in its rightful place. The nation observes the day as the Language Martyrs' Day and people congregate in Shahid Minar to pay homage to the martyrs.

The conspiracy to oust Bangla from one of the state languages of Pakistan was evident as Bangla was omitted from stamps, coins and official correspondence of the country. The Language Movement ignited sentiments of the general people all over the country. The official use of Bangla was restored on 7th May, 1954 through a constitutional reform.

About half a century after the historical movement, 21st February was declared as the International Mother Language Day by UNESCO on 17th November, 1999. The inaugural ceremony of the International Mother Language Day was observed on 21st February, 2000. The celebration of the International Mother Language Day is not only the reflection of homage paid to the language martyrs but also an approach of showing respect for all the languages in the world. It is also an approach of protecting and promoting all languages, especially the endangered ones.

Undoubtedly, this recognition is a significant achievement of our nation. The International Mother Language Day reinforced the relation between our national entity and the international entity and the link between 21st February and the 21st Century.

(Subir Das Dept. of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, BUET. Sourov Das Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, BUET)

Quotation

Works of imagination should be written in very plain language; the more purely imaginative they are the more necessary it is to be plain.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words best of all.

Sir Winston Churchill
Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.

William Butler Yeats
Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.

William Penn
I understand a fury in your words, But not the words.

William Shakespeare
My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.

They have been at a great feast of languages, and stolen the scraps.

William Shakespeare