Bengali language movement

Shaheed Minar, or the Martyr's monument, located near Dhaka Medical College, commemorates the struggle for Bangla language

The Language movement (Bengali: ভাষা আন্দোলন Bhasha Andolon) was a political and cultural agitation in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) that centred around the recognition of the Bengali language as an official language of Pakistan and a broader reaffirmation of the ethno-national consciousness of the Bengali people. Discontent against Pakistan's "Urdu-only" policy had spilled into mass agitation since 1948 and reached its climactic strength after police fired upon and killed student demonstrators on February 21, 1952.

After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the central government under Muhammad Ali Jinnah ordained Urdu to be the sole national language, even though the Bengali-speaking peoples formed a majority of the national population. The policy, compounded by sectional tensions served as a major provocation of political conflict. Despite protests in 1948, the policy was enshrined into law and reaffirmed by national leaders, including several Bengali politicians. Facing rising tensions, the government in East Pakistan outlawed public meetings and gatherings. Defying this, the students of Dhaka University and other political activists started a procession in February 21. Near the current Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police fired on the protesters and numerous protesters, including Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abul Barkat, and Abdul Jabbar were killed. The deaths of the students served to provoke widespread strikes and protests led mainly by Bengali political parties such as the Awami League (then Awami Muslim League). The central government relented, granting official status for Bengali.

The Language movement served as a catalyst for the assertion of the Bengali cultural and national identity within Pakistan. The agitation also served to intensify the political and sectional rivalries between the two wings. The movement served as an inspiration and forerunner to Bengali nationalist agitations against the political and economic domination of West Pakistan, including the 6-point movement and subsequently the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. In Bangladesh, February 21 is commemorated annually as the Language Movement Day. The Shaheed Minar was constructed to commemorate the agitation and pay homage to its victims. In 1999, February 21 was declared the International Mother Language Day by the United Nations.

History

Since the Hindi-Urdu controversy of 1867, Urdu had been promoted as the lingua franca of Indian Muslims by political leaders such as Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Nawab Viqar-ul-Mulk and Maulvi Abdul Haq (who would go on to be known as the Baba-e-Urdu - the Father of Urdu). Muslim rulers such as the Nizam of Hyderabad State gave official patronage for the proliferation of the language. Urdu, with its Perso-Arabic script was considered a vital element of the Islamic culture of Indian Muslims, while Hindi and the Devanagari script were seen as elements of Hindu culture. While Urdu grew common in use by the Muslims of north and western India, the Muslims of Bengal continued their primary use of the Bengali language, which developed considerably with the Bengal Renaissance. After the partition of India in 1947, Bengali-speaking Muslims formed a majority in the new state of Pakistan but its government, civil services and military was dominated by West Pakistanis. At an education summit in Karachi, the granted proposal included Urdu as the state language, media of different provinces and a compulsory subject at primary level. A protest came immediately when students of different educational institutions gathered at the Dhaka University premises on December 6. The meeting demanded Bengali as one of the state languages of Pakistan and to set it as East Pakistan's official language and the medium of education. However this was the first ever meeting for language in the University premises. At the end of December, student leaders inaugurated the first "Rashtrabhasha Shangram Porishod" (State Language Committee of Action) to help the movement to reach its goal. The Pakistan Public Service Commission removed Bengali from their official subjects lists and from published currency notes and stamps. While serious preparation was being taken in various forums of the central government under the initiative of Fazlur Rahman, the central education minister, to make Urdu the only state language of Pakistan.Ή On receipt of this information, East Pakistani students became agitated and held a meeting on the Dhaka University campus on December 8, 1947 demanding that Bangla be made one of the state languages of Pakistan. The meeting was followed by student processions and more agitation.

Early phase

The first "Rastrabhasa Sangram Parishad" (Language Action Committee) was formed towards the end of December with Professor Nurul Huq Bhuiyan of the Tamaddun Majlish as the convener. Assembly member Dhirendranath Datta proposed a legislation in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan to allow members to speak in Bengali and for its official use by the Assembly. While the legislation received the support of several Bengali legislators, the prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan and the Muslim League denounced the proposal as an attempt to divide the Pakistani people while reiterating the paramount status of Urdu. The legislation was defeated, but Datta's efforts had attained popular support in East Pakistan. A new committee to push for Bengali as the state language was formed with Shamsul Huq as its convener. On March 11, 1948 a general strike was observed in the towns of East Pakistan in protest against the omission of Bangla from the languages of the Constituent Assembly, the absence of Bangla letters in Pakistani coins and stamps, and the use of only Urdu in recruitment tests for the navy. The movement also reiterated the earlier demand that Bangla be declared one of the state languages of Pakistan and the official language of East Pakistan. Amidst processions, picketing and slogans, leaders such as Shawkat Ali, Kazi Golam Mahboob, Shamsul Huq, Oli Ahad, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Abdul Wahed and others were arrested. Student leaders, including Abdul Matin and Abdul Malek Ukil, also took part in the procession and picketing. A meeting was held on the Dhaka University premises. Mohammad Toaha was severely injured while trying to snatch away a rifle from a policeman and had to be admitted to hospital. At dawn of March 11 students from different Halls of Dhaka University came out according to their pre planned decision. Along with Dhaka University the rest of the educational institutions also observed full strike. In the morning a group of students went to Ramna Post Office and were arrested. Some other students accompanied by political leaders also continued picketing in front of the Secreteriat building and some of them also arrested there. In the afternoon a meeting was observed to protest the police tortures and arrestings. Finishing the meeting the students joined in a rally and moved towards Khawaja Nazimuddin's House. But the rally was obstracted in front of the High Court. The rally then changed its direction and moved towards the Secretariat building. There police attacked them and some of the students and leaders including A. K. Fazlul Huq were injured.

The founder of Pakistan and its first governor-general, Muhammad Ali Jinnah came to Dhaka (then Dacca) on March 19, 1948. On March 21, he received a civic reception at the Racecource Ground (now called the Suhrawardy Udyan) from where he later made a speech. In his speech he complained that the language movement was introduced to create rift among the Muslims. Though he pointed out that the government language of East Bengal would be decided by the inhabitants of the province, he clearly declared, Urdu shall be the state language of Pakistan and no other language. He also warned that there was a fifth column within the people and they will be shown no mercy. While Jinnah was making his speech, a part of the crowd containing students and common people became annoyed with Jinnah's comments on the language movement and provocative quotes to the movement workers made them disgraced when he said that the Urdu shall be the only state language. He also made a similar speech when he went to Curzon Hall of the University of Dhaka on March 24. He quoted this movement as the way to spread provincialism and complained that some people are trying to take advantage by doing this. When he recited his position about Urdu as a state language a loud no, no cry came from the students. The same day, Jinnah called a meeting with state language Committee of Action in which Jinnah denied the contract that was signed with Khawaja Nazimuddin telling that as a forceful and one sided one. The meeting was highly tense and much debate took place. The students handed over a memorandum to him demanding Bangla as the state language. Jinnah left Dhaka on March 28, and a repeat of his position was expressed in his speech at the radio that evening. After the departure of Jinnah, a meeting of Tamaddun Majlish and Chatra League was held where the convener from the Tamaddun Majlish Shamsul Alam handed over his responsibilities to Mohammad Toaha.

Agitations of 1952

Procession march held on February 21 in Dhaka.

The spark that reinvigorated the movement can be found in the speech that Khawaja Nazimuddin made on January 27, 1952. Khawaja Nazimuddin, by now the prime minister of Pakistan, came to Dhaka on February 25 and made a long speech on Polton Maidan on February 27. He reiterated Jinnah's view on the "state language topic" and noted that Pakistan's state language was going to ramain Urdu. He also added that no nation can be strong with more than one state language. The State Language Committee of Action called a students' strike and a meeting on January 30, tom protest Nazimuddin's position. It was decided to call a strike meeting and rally on February 4. Later on a rally took place near Burdwan House (now Bangla Academy).

On January 31, 1952 the Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod (All-Party Central Language Action Committee) was formed in a meeting at the Bar Library Hall of Dhaka University, chaired by Maulana Bhasani. The central government's proposal of writing the Bangla language in Arabic script was vehemently opposed at the meeting. In this meeting, the "Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrabhasha Koarmiporishod" was formed, composing of about 40 members. The meeting supported the strike called at the earlier January 30 mwwting. The committee also called for complete agitation on February 21, including strikes and rallies. According to the decision taken on January 30, students of Dhaka University and all the educational institutions from Dhaka gatheres at the Dhaka University premises on February 4. The students warned the government to cease the proposal to write Bangla in Arabic script and reiterated their demand for the government to recognize Bangla as a state Language. The meeting ended in a large rally.

February 21

File:Meeting at Amtala on Ekushey February.JPG

Meeting at the Dhaka University premises on February 21, 1952

From 9 p.m. students from different educational institution started to gather at the Dhaka University premises to express their protest against section 144, and to make the active members of the East Bengal Legislative Assembly aware of the position of the common people about the language policy. Police carrying arms made a cordon around the meeting place. The Vice Chancellor and the Deans of different departments were also present. At quarter past eleven, students gathered at the gate and came out in the street to break the section. Police tried to warn away the students by firing tire shells at the gate and in the University premises. After that some students ran into the Dhaka Medical College and rest stayed at the Dhaka University premises cordoned by the police, diplaying sheer agitation to the police actions. The Vice Chancellor then asked police to stop firing tire shells and the students to leave the University area. But when the students started to leave the campus, police arrested them again, on the grounds that they are violating the section. Many of these arrested students were taken to Tejgaon and later freed. This made the students more frustrated and they again started their action and accompanied by some girl students who came from the Prime Ministers office. At two p.m. as the members of the Legislative Assembly came to join the Assembly, students blocked their way and asked them to present their demand at the Assembly. But suddenly the whole situation changed when a group of students decided to go to the Legislative Assembly to express their agitation and demands. As the student intended to move suddenly, police ran to the hostel and opened fire around and inside of it at around 3p.m. Just moments after the firing, a number of students were seen lying on the Verandah. Abdul Jabbar and Rafiq Uddin Ahmed were killed at the spot. Abul Barkat injured at that time had died later at 8p.m. At the firing the doctors and nurses of the Dhaka Medical College were forced to leave the previously injured students, and concentrate on the students injured by bullets. As the news of the killing spread, the people erupted and decided to come to the place where incident took place. So they closed all the shops, offices and transport and soon the movement became a people's one, from what was only by the students earlier. The Radio artists also commemorated an artist strike and the station ran only by the recorded programs.

February 22

On that day at the Legislative Assembly, members from the opposition party moved this subject at the assembly. They asked Prime Minister Nurul Amin to visit the hospital to see the wounded students, and also asked for a call off at the assembly. This motion was also supported by some of the treasury bench members as well. But Nurul Amin was persistent for calling the day off and also refused to go the hospital. On February 22 the whole country burst with agitation and procession. People spontaneously denied Section 144 and mourned conjointly on that day. At about 11a.m. nearly 30 thousand gathered in a rally and moved towards Curzon Hall. There police tried to move away them and at one point fired onto them. Four people were recorded killed. Officers and clerks from all the institution boycotted the office and came together with the students to join the procession. The officials from Secretariat visited to Dhaka Medical College Hostel where they were accompanied by the people of different parts of the city. Later they organized a Janaja and brought out the massive rally. At about 11a.m. nearly 30 thousand gathered in a rally and crossed Curzon Hall to reach High Court. Their police attacked and fired onto them. Rallies and Janaja also held across the city. In the afternoon another huge rally came out which was also attacked by the police. In the Dhaka Medical College Hostel students continued milking until police came out and took it away from them. Agitated people also flamed the 'Jubilee press' from where morning news were published. Several incident of police attack and killing was found. When a massive rally was going through the Nawabpur Road police fired at it in which Sofiur Rahman fell into and later died. A nine year old boy named 'Ohidullah' was also found killed at the same road. It was also heard that police removed number of dead bodies. According to Azad 4 and Shoinik 8 people were killed.

After the incidents of February 21 and 22 the government spread a lot of propaganda about the movement and the incidents. They tried to make the people believe that the communists and anti-pakistanies intrigued the students to attack the police. The propagandas spread through many ways. Many leaflets were printed and were supplied all over the country. Government also influenced the newspapers to serve the news by their liking. They also arrested numerous number of people and students. On February 25, brother of Abul Barkat tried to file a case against the murder. But the government did not take it due to lack of papers. Similar attempt was made from the Rafiq Uddin Ahmed's family, but again it was denied for the same excuse. The report which was promised by the government were ignored by Kendrio Kormoporishad. However the investigation started on April 8, but the report did not show any satisfactory reason for firing inside the Medical College. In the session of Constituent Assembly which started on April 14, the language question arose again. Many parliamentarians spoke for solving the problem. But the Muslim League members were again silent and voted again against the subject on April 10 which adjourned it for undetermined period of time. By doing this they literally broke the promise that they would speak for Bangla at the Constituent Assembly just after the killings of February 21 and 22. Kendrio Shorbodolio Kormoporishad (Central United Body) called a seminar on April 27 at the Bar Association Hall and asked for 21 point demand to the government. Dhaka University opened on April 16 and students organized a meeting later that day. The students again gathered in a meeting. With the main leader of the University Language Committee Abdul Matin arrested, the committee was reformed to support the meeting at the Bar Hall.

Final stages (1953-56)

File:LMimage.jpg

Rallies at the Dhaka University area.

Kendrio Shôrbodolio Kôrmoporishôd decided to commemorate February 21 as the Shohid Dibôsh or the Martyrs' Day. Acting general secretary of Awami League Sheikh Mujibur Rahman also earged to commemorate the day. On February 18, the students made a contract with the officials that they would not create any anarchy if the government do not apply any adversity. However the first anniversary of the language movement was widely observed across the country. Most of the offices, banks and educational institutions were closed. People from different places and cities came to the Probhat Feri. Thousands of people wearing black badges came to the university premises and left with a huge rally. Volunteers also were in alert so that any violence could not take place. A massive meeting also held at Armanitola with nearly one lack people. In the meeting a point was moved. Along with the language demand, releasing of Bhasani and other state prisoners were also demanded. Railway stuffs also went for a strike with the supervision of the students. Students of different halls of the university kept fast to pay homage to the martyrs. On the other hand Pakistan's finance minister Fazlur Rahman said that whoever wants to make Bangla a state language is to be considered as an enemy of the state. As a result people became frustrated and shown him black badge. As a part of the commemoration badges written "Rashţrobhasha Bangla Chai" ("We want Bengali as a state language") was distributed to the people. Language Action Committee also called upon a meeting to celebrate the day. A lot of cultural activities were also held to enhance the movement. A number of magazines were published. The main influential song of the language movement Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano was written as a poem in a leaflet in that year.

The year 1954 is marked for revolutionary change in politics of East Bengal and in the way in language movement. The election was about to take place and Muslim League tried to resist United Front from taking any advantage from the movement. As a result of this decision, appeals were also made to give six more language of different regions of West Pakistan the same status by the representatives of those areas. However Abdul Haq (known as Babae Urdu) opposed the decision and retained his position on the policy. A massive rally was held against the decision in Karachi on April 22 under his leadership. A lot of hostility also took place and the office of a Sindhi daily "Al Wahid" was burnt. On the other hand, another meeting held on April 27 supported Bangla and asked for all other languages for the equal status. They also criticized the mentality of some Urdu speaking minorities of Pakistan who reacted angrily after the decision. But as a result of these agitations, the implementaion was hanged and finally stopped without reaching any conclusion.

Resolution

After the United Front took over the government, the work to build the Bangla Academy started. Shortly after the government was succeeded by a period of by martial law in which the new regime promptly ended the project on February 21, 1955. On February 19 government banned all public ceremonies under Section 144. But the students and common people disobeyed and a demonstration broke out on the night of 21st. Different halls of Dhaka University flew black flags to mourn. Police attacked the campus and arrested numerous students and sympathetic members of the populace. Later they were taken to jail where met with the arrested language movement activists imprisoned over the years. The arrested students refused to post bail and government had to step down. Later they were freed and the releasing of activists began. The United Front government were handed the power once again in the process. In 1956, February 21 was observed in a government friendly atmosphere for the first time. On the day the foundation stone of Shaheed Minar was planted. The session of Pakistan Constituent Assembly was also stopped for five minutes to express respects for the martyrs of the Language Movement. This day was widely observed throughout the country and most institutions were shut down. A massive rally leaded by Maulana Bhasani followed the huge meeting at Armanitola.

After nearly ten years of starting of the language movement Bengali was officially recognized as the one of the main state language of Pakistan on February 29, 1956. The 214th section regarding to state language was like this:

214.(1) The state language of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali

However English continued to be the official language as it was during the British period. On March 1, 1962 Ayub Khan in his "The Consititution of the Republic of Pakistan" also mentioned

The national languages of Pakistan are Bengali and Urdu

After the independence of Bangladesh the constitution was written and published on November 4, 1972 according to which the state language was Bangla. A 3rd para of which:

প্রজাতন্ত্রের রাষ্ট্রভাষা বাংলা (The state language of the republic is Bangla)

Legacy

The Language movement is considered to have laid the foundations for the nationalist political movement in East Bengal, especially with the rise of the Awami League as the dominant political party in the province. However, the struggle also contributed in heightening the cultural alienation between the two wings of Pakistan. Although the question of official languages was considered as settled, the military regime of Ayub Khan is considered to have advanced political, cultural and economic discrimination of Bengalis and East Pakistan while Punjabis and Pashtuns took a greater role in government and politics. The memory and legacy of the Language movement was invoked in the Awami League-led 6-point movement for greater autonomy and democracy, the demand that East Pakistan be called "Bangladesh" ("Country of Bengal") and consequently the Bangladesh Liberation War. The movement also influenced the recognition and official usage of the Bengali language as well as other regional languages in neighbouring India.

In West Pakistan, the movement was seen as a sectional uprising against the national interests. Many construed it as the beginning of Bengali separatism and a rejection of the Pakistan movement. The rejection of the status of the Urdu language was a contravention of the Perso-Arabic culture of Muslims and the ideology of senior Muslim politicians. The widespread participation of Bengali Hindus and the Hindu foundations of Bengali language and culture also caused considerable opposition in West Pakistan. Several Bengali politicians such as Maulana Bhashani, Golam Azam, Motiur Rahman Nizami and Shah Azizur Rahman, who had supported the Language movement grew increasingly alienated from the Bengali nationalist Awami League and subsequent nationalist agitations. However, the success of the Language movement also influenced similar agitations for cultural recognition and sectional autonomy in the provinces of Sindh, Balochistan and the Northwest Frontier Province. These provinces would become the scene of ethno-nationalist agitation against the central government in the 1960s and 1970s.

Commemoration

The first Shaheed Minar of Dhaka, built on February 23. It was demolished 4 days later.

File:1952 Rajshahi Shaheed Minar.jpg

Shaheed Minar built in Rajshahi in late February, 1952. This was also demolished within days.

Language movement had a major impact of the art and culture of erstwhile East Bengal and later in independent Bangladesh. The spirit and success of the agitation raised considerable interest and enthusiasm for the study and development of the Bengali language and literature as well as the Bengali culture. Popular Bengali songs and poems celebrating the movement include the Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano by Abdul Gaffar Choudhury, Ora Amar Mukher Kotha by Abdul Latif, Ekushey February by Kabir Suman and Kadte Ashini Fashir Dabi Niye Ashechi by Mahbub Ul Alam Choudhury. The movement and related events are depicted in the Bengali film Jibon Theke Neya by Zahir Raihan and the theatrical play Kobor by Munier Chowdhury. Remembrance and celebration of the Language movement is one of the most important national events in Bangladesh. February 21 is a national holiday in the country. The Shaheed Minar (Monument of Martyrs) was constructed in 1954 to commemorate the protestors who lost their lives. The first Shaheed Minar was immediately built after the historical incidents of February 21. According to one of the main planner and the designer of the first Shaheed Minar Saeed Hayder, the decision to build a Shaheed Minar was first taken by the students of Dhaka Medical College. The plan was undergoing from midnight of February 22 and the work started the next day. Although there was curfew in place students denied that and started building the Minar in the afternoon of February 23. They carried the work throughout the night and finished it at dawn. A handwritten paper was attached to the Minar with Shaheed Smritistombho written on it. The Minar was measured 10 into 6 feet. The Minar was inaugurated by the father of martyr Sofiur Rahman. There is also a claim saying it was inaugurated by the editor of The Daily Azad Abul Kalam Shamsuddin but the proof was not found. It was demolished within a few days by the police and Pakistan Army.

moder gorob a group of bust, depicting the Language movement martyrs, in Bangla Academy

The famous architect Hamidur Rahman created the design of Shaheed Minar under which the construction was started in 1957. The foundation stone of this Shaheed Mianar was established on February 21, 1956. As the Awami League government was in power it was possible to construct the highly sophisticated model. Hamidur Rahman’s model was a huge complex on a large area of land in the yard of Dhaka Medical College Hostel. The enormous design included a half-circular column to symbolize the mother with her martyred sons standing at the dais of the central part of the monument. The construction started according to the design in November 1957 under the supervisation of Hamidur Rahman and Novera Ahmed. Most of the work including the basement, platform, some of the columns with the rails, footprints and some of the murals were also finished when the Martial Law was introduced and the construction was forced to step down. The construction work was completed in 1963, but much of Rahman’s design was left unfinished. It was inaugurated on February 21, 1963 by the mother of Abul Barkat, Hasina Begum. The Minar was severely damaged during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The columns were demolished with firing. Pakistan Army crushed the Minar and placed there a signboard written "mosque" on it. Shaheed Minar that stands today is the five columns and the premise in front at it. The design mainly followed the actual plan of 1957 and the monument underwent considerable renovation and maintenance in 1973.

References

• Badruddin Umar (2004). The Emergence of Bangladesh: Class Struggles in East Pakistan (1947-1958). Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 978-0195795714.
• Anwar S. Dil (2000). Bengali language movement to Bangladesh. Ferozsons. ISBN 978-9690015778.
• Robert S. Stern (2000). Democracy and Dictatorship in South Asia: Dominant Classes and Political Outcomes in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Praeger Publishers. ISBN 978-0275970413.
• Syed Manzoorul Islam (1994). Essays on Ekushey: The Language Movement 1952. Bangla Academy. ISBN 984-07-2968-3.

External links

• Bangla language movement
• Language movement at BSS
• History of Bangladesh
• Language movement at Virtual Bangladesh