The Bengali Language Movement / Bhasa Andolon

 

The Bengali Language Movement, also known as the Language Movement (Bengali: ভাষা আন্দোলন; Bhasha Andolon), was a political effort in Bangladesh (then known as East Pakistan), advocating the recognition of the Bengali language as an official language of Pakistan. Such recognition would allow Bengali to be taught in schools and used in government affairs.

When the state of Pakistan was formed in 1947, its two regions, East Pakistan (also called East Bengal) and West Pakistan, were split along cultural, geographical, and linguistic lines. In 1948, the Government of Pakistan ordained Urdu as the sole national language, sparking extensive protests among the Bengali-speaking majority of East Pakistan. Facing rising sectarian tensions and mass discontent with the new law, the government outlawed public meetings and rallies. The students of the University of Dhaka and other political activists defied the law and organised a protest on 21 February 1952. The movement reached its climax when police killed student demonstrators on that day. The deaths provoked widespread civil unrest led by the Awami Muslim League, later renamed the Awami League. After years of conflict, the central government relented and granted official status to the Bengali language in 1956. In 2000, UNESCO declared 21 February International Mother Language Day for the whole world to celebrate[1], in tribute to the Language Movement and the ethno-linguistic rights of people around the world.

Procession march held on 21 February 1952 in Dhaka

The Language Movement catalysed the assertion of Bengali national identity in Pakistan, and became a forerunner to Bengali nationalist movements, including the 6-point movement and subsequently the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. In Bangladesh, 21 February is observed as Language Movement Day, a national holiday. The Shaheed Minar monument was constructed near Dhaka Medical College in memory of the movement and its victims.

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History of International Mother Language Day / Biswa Bhasa Dibas

On 21 March 1948, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the Governor general of Pakistan, declared that Urdu would be the only language for both West and East Pakistan. The people of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), whose main language is Bengali, started to protest against this. On 21 February 1952, (8 Falgun 1359 in the Bengali calendar), students in the present day capital city of Dhaka called for a provincial strike. The government invoked a limited curfew to prevent this and the protests were tamed down so as to not break the curfew. The Pakistani police fired on the students despite these peaceful protests and a number of students were killed.

21 February was proclaimed the International Mother Language Day by UNESCO on 17 November 1999. Its observance was also formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages.[1]

International Mother Language Day originated as the international recognition of Language Movement Day, which has been commemorated in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) since 1952, when a number of Bangladeshi university students were killed by the Pakistani police and army in Dhaka during the Bengali Language Movement.

International Mother Language Day is observed yearly by UNESCO member states and at its headquarters to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

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Celebration of the Republic Day

on the 15th August 1947. It was two and half years later that the Indian constitution came into existence on the 26th of January 1950. It is celebrated as a national holiday to mark the transition of India from a British Dominion to a republic on the 26th of January. This is one of the 3 national holidays in India. 

A richly nurtured history: Significance of the Republic day, India

Regarding the history of the festival, during the transition period from 1947 to 1950, the king George VI was the head of the state. Lord Mountbatten and C. Rajagopalachari served as the governer general of India in this period. The 26th of January was when; the first president of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected. Most of all, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was the head of the constituent assembly and played a played a major role in the formation of the constitution. 

Celebrations for the Republic day, India

This occasion being a very important one, a grand parade is held at the capital, New Delhi annually. It takes place from the Raisiana Hill near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (the place of the president), along the Rajpath (path of the leaders), past India gate and on to the historic red fort. The commander in chief of the Indian armed forces that is none other but the president of India, takes the solute. The different regiments of the army, navy and the air force march past in all their finery and official decorations. The parade includes amusement displays on horses by the military men, other vibrant displays that include missiles, tanks, etc; the ceremony is traditionally ended with a flypast by the Indian air force jets. This is the largest scale celebration-taking place in India for the republic day.

Celebrations on a smaller scale are held in state capitals, where mostly the governer of the state unfurls the national flag. If he is absent for some reason, the Chief Minster takes the initiative. It is a big deal in school where children march past the hoisted tricolor flag, and have a small ceremony of their own. Sweets are distributed amongst the children. Many other places perform the flag hoisting ceremony and pay their respect the Republic day, and their nation, India.

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Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

Subhas Chandra Bose affectionately called as Netaji, was one of the most prominent leaders of Indian freedom struggle.

He was born on January 23, 1897 in Cuttack,  Orissa. He passed Indian Civil Services Exam;  elected Indian National Congress President in 1938 and again in 1939 (this time defeating Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya who had been backed by Mr. M.K. Gandhi [The Father of the Nation – India] and the Congress Working Committee);   formed a new party All India Forward block;  organized Azad Hind Fauj to overthrow British Empire from India. He has been denied his rightful place in the annals of Indian history.

He was also a devout Hindu and spent much time in meditation. He was strongly influenced by Swami Vivekananda's teachings and was known for his patriotic zeal as a student. He supported empowerment of women, secularism and other democratic ideas. But, Netaji also seems to have decided that no democratic system could be adequate to overcome India's poverty and social inequalities, and he advocated for an authoritarian state, similar to that of Soviet Russia (which he had also seen and admired) would be needed for the process of national re-building.

Sayings of Netaji:

1. As soldiers, you will always have to cherish and live up to the three ideals of faithfulness, duty and sacrifice. Soldiers who always remain faithful to their nation, who are always prepared to sacrifice their lives, are invincible. If you, too, want to be invincible, engrave these three ideals in the innermost core of your hearts.

2. Give me blood and I shall give you freedom!

3. Gird up your loins for the task that now lies ahead. I had asked you for men, money and materials. I have got them in generous measure. Now I demand more of you. Men, money and materials cannot by themselves bring victory or freedom. We must have the motive-power that will inspire us to brave deeds and heroic exploits.

4. I have no doubt in my mind that our chief national problems relating to the eradication of poverty, illiteracy and disease and the scientific production and distribution can be tackled only along socialistic lines.

5. Nationalism is inspired by the highest ideals of the human race, satyam [the true], shivam [The God], sundaram [the beautiful]. Nationalism in India has ... roused the creative faculties which for centuries had been lying dormant in our people.

6. It is our duty to pay for our liberty with our own blood. The freedom that we shall win through our sacrifice and exertions, we shall be able to preserve with our own strength.

7. No real change in history has ever been achieved by discussions.

Nataji's INA song - 

Kadam kadam badhaye ja
Khushee ke geet gaye ja
Yeh zindagi hai kaum ki
Tu kaum pe lutaye ja

Jai Hind! Jai Hind!! Jai Hind!!!

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