2024-02-21 23:49:43
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina feels that even though there is a need for foreign language education for the needs of the workplace, the mother tongue should be the medium of education. He said, ‘If you can learn in the mother tongue, it is much easier to accept and understand that education.’
He said this at the opening ceremony of the four-day event organized on the occasion of Great Martyr’s Day and International Mother Language Day at the International Mother Language Institute in the capital on Wednesday (February 21) afternoon.
The Prime Minister said, ‘mother tongue is the most important for our education. If you can learn in your mother tongue, it is much easier to accept and understand that education.’
‘Since the workplace is now the world, the whole world has become so close that it is interdependent. There is a need to learn many languages in our workplace. But, I have seen that the children of our country are very talented. It is not difficult for them to learn two or three languages. Many can speak two or three languages including mother tongue.’
He said, ‘Our medium of education should be in mother tongue. In addition, there should be opportunities for teaching other languages. Because it exists in all countries of the world.
‘But, the unfortunate thing is seen in our society, will be taught in schools; But the kindergarten is very happy to hear, to be taught there. However, our primary education school buildings are being renovated, teachers are being well trained, and education systems are in place. Keep that name and want to spend money on it. This is another matter. Suddenly, a family from abroad becomes such that it survives only if it abandons its mother tongue.’
Bangabandhukanya said that taking away the rights of the Bengali language and distorting the language has come again and again.
Criticizing some of the prevailing mentality in the society at that time, Sheikh Hasina said that some families have suddenly become owners of money. Now that he can speak English, he has become very efficient! It is said that it has become smart. But, I don’t believe that you need to learn a language to be smart.
The Prime Minister began his speech by paying tribute to the martyrs of the language movement. Recalling the language movement, he said, ‘They tried to take away our right to speak our mother tongue. When a foreign language was tried to be imposed on us, the people of this country did not accept it. In fact, our language movement started in 1948 itself, which on February 21, 1952, our martyrs said in blood letters, I want to speak mother tongue. And this movement started from Dhaka University. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, then a student of the law department of Dhaka University, took the initiative, formed a student organization, and established the Bangladesh Chhatra League. And Bhasha Sangram Parishad was formed with several progressive student organizations. It was through the initiative of the father of the nation and his leadership that we got our independence through the language movement. Got self-esteem as an independent nation.’
‘Bangladesh is a nation state, a language state in South Asia. So we achieved that status under the leadership of our great leader Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
After 1975, the Bengali culture was largely lost, the Prime Minister said, noting that ‘the institutions which were named in Bengali, were tried to change them and bring a different language. Awami League formed the government after 21 years from there. At that time, in order to establish the rights of the mother tongue, expatriate Salam and Rafiq along with some other expatriates made an organization called ‘Valobasi Matri Bhasha’ and made a proposal to the United Nations – whether February 21 can be made as International Mother Language Day or not. When we are told to make a proposal by a state, we act accordingly. For this reason, February 21 has been recognized today as the International Mother Language Day. It is a matter of honor for us.’
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina described the context of setting up the International Mother Tongue Institute for language preservation and research.
‘Languages are disappearing all over the world. To prevent them from being lost, to preserve them, to research them… many languages may be learned for a living. But, I think it is a duty of every nation to preserve the mother tongue. With that goal in mind, we took a decision to build an international mother tongue institute. Today, the institute has now been promoted to two categories by UNESCO.’
Before the speech, Sheikh Hasina, daughter of the Prime Minister and Father of the Nation, laid the foundation stone of the Mujib Centenary Museum and Archives.
Informing that, he said, ‘I thank the International Mother Language Institute for the initiative taken to preserve the activities of the life under whose leadership Bangla language got status, got a state.’
The history of the language movement was distorted, Sheikh Hasina said, ‘We have to know our history. It is unfortunate that history is distorted in our country. History has been distorted since 1975. The history of the language movement has been distorted. That day is no more. No one can erase history. History moves at its own pace. But history unfolds in time. But the people of the country got to know it.
“We won the liberation war. We are a nation of heroes. If we can’t walk with that victory, then what kind of victory did we bring? After 75, there came a time when we were a victorious nation, the history was either forgotten or distorted. Similarly the language movement… the language movement since 1948, the history of that language movement was distorted. Now people are getting to know and see.’
The Prime Minister emphasized on translation in his speech and urged the concerned to translate correctly.
He said, ‘It is the duty of all of us to protect, practice and strengthen our mother tongue by spreading our art, art, and literature all over the world, and present the language for which the Bengali nation has given its life to the people.’
At this time, calling on the International Mother Language Institute and Bangla Academy to organize together, he said, then we will be able to know more about various subjects including art, literature and art.
He said, ‘The father of the nation gave international status to Bengal by addressing in Bengal at the United Nations. Whenever I have given a speech, I have given a speech in Bengali. It has been translated into different languages. We are a victorious nation, we have a language. Let the whole world know that we have a culture.’
Education Minister Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel presided over the opening ceremony and also attended the Prime Minister’s Education and Cultural Affairs Adviser Dr. Kamal Abdul Nasser Chowdhury, State Minister of Primary and Mass Education Rumana Ali, Secretary of Secondary and Higher Education Department Soleman Khan, Director General of International Mother Language Institute Professor Dr. Hakeem Arif and others.