Shubhechha/Greetings on Intl. Mother language Day!

Today, going through the Bangla daily 'The Daily Prothom Alo' I have got a strange feeling,,, my heart and mind have started pondering a very dreadful possibility, what if this day had never come,,, what if 21 February 1952 had not been there,,, had not that be the end of my 'bhasha?' my fingertips have brushed through the Bangla letters lovingly ,,, reassuring myself with pride, joy, love and somewhat sorrow as well remembering the price ,,, lets go back to 1948 to have a better picture

1948. The governor general of Pakistan has announced that 'urdu and sloe urdu will be the national language of Pakistan',,,,,,,,,,,,that was the start, the east-pakistanese (Bangladeshies presently)who's birth right to speak in their mother tongue, proudly and rightfully,,,had been snatched by that oppressing decision, stood together, raising their voice which was heard but never was listened to,,,,,,until 1952 arrived. The students all over the country, specially the students of Dhaka university and Dhaka medical college, the new, the juvenile, the young spirits have taken a strong stand against the government decision, so that the adamant government bow down to their demand of giving the deserving place to their mother tongue.

In reply the government declares curfew against any procession or meeting regarding this issue for a month. The protesting committee calls for a meeting in the very evening and in the following morning as well,,, they decided to break the curfew,,, after the meeting when the students had been leaving in 10 men in a group the police opened fire on them,,,by afternoon Rafique, Barkat, Jabbar, Salam (who fought with death for many days then joined the other martyrs) and so many more people whose names had not been found out still, embraced death to protect the honor of their mother tongue.

From the next day it wasn't the students anymore, the mass people had broken the curfew in protest of those cowardly selfish killing,,, the police fired at them as well, resulting in more loss of precious lives. But the government could not suppress the voice of the people, the crave, the love, the honor they hold for their mother toungue could not be diminished no matter how many lives the government took no matter how many "shaheed minaar" (monuments of martyrs') they crashed down, the demand for the honor of their mother language of the people was the same, the government could not crash it, could not even able to touch it at all. The fire remained their which the government could not astinguished.

Recognizing the defeat, the government had to kneel down before the mass people after that, bowing down to their demand they were forced to accept 'Bangla' as the national language for East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

I know there are nations who have sacrificed precious lives for their independence, even we, the Bangladeshis did ,,,in 1971(the language movement had worked as the root to our freedom all the way),,,but sacrificing lives for mother language is done by only one nation which is 'Bangladeshis' as well,,,,,that is why in 1999 UNESCO has declared the day of 21 February as the International Mother Language Day,,,honoring the devotion of Bangladeshi's for their mother tongue,,,setting example for other nations to love and to show honor to their own tongue in that way when the time comes,,,

So, as a Bangladeshi, and an earthling I greet everyone on 'International Mother Language Day'

'shubho hoke Antarjatik Matribhasha Dibash!'

P.S: The topic even could not cover the 1% of the journey from 1948 to 1952, I just tried to give you the general idea