AMOR EKUSHEY / Ekushey Amader Porichoy
Though the 'language movement' of 1948-52 began as a demand for Bangla instead of Urdu as a State language of Pakistan ( Bangla was, by the way, considered the provincial Stae language of East Pakistan from the beginning), many people believe now, in retrospect, it was a foil for a huge regret --a regret for the creation of Pakistan. A large but late relization dawned on the conscience of Bengali Muslims that they should not have taken part in the break-up of India on the basis of religion alone.
Looking back, remembering the excitement and panic in my family with three of my uncles imprisoned in Dhaka Central Jail in February 1952 for taking part in the 'movement', I see it as a movement for an idealism that yearned for a secular state. Our identity -- our 'porichoy' is through our language and culture. Our religions are parts of our culture, not separate entities outside it.
The whole idea of a 'State language' was and still is a mid-20th century hoax -- an imported idea from Europe thrown in the midst of India as a golden apple of Strife -- yet another imperialist trick to keep the former colonies forever in-fighting amongst themselves. India is a huge cultural space with several big languages and their numerous variations. The European model of 'one state=one language' is simply inapplicable in the Indian context. [Please read that excellent book, Language and Politics in Pakistan by Tarique Rahman, who traces the history of the British imperialist efforts to communalize major Indian languages].
I am so glad that the day is being commemorated today as the International Mother Language Day, providing the non-Bangla speakers of Bangladesh to be proud of their own culture on this day. Let us not forget that one of the native languages of Dhaka city is Urdu, and the premier modern poet in Bangla language, the late Shamsur Rahman, was a Dhakaiya Urdu speaker.
The idea of a 'State religion' is even more alien, imported from Fascist Europe, and utterly against the grain of our national character, tradition and history. We must do everything in our power to resist this attempt to turn Bangladesh into a Fascist country under a totalitarian regime of Wahhabi Islam. There is no room for a State religion in Bangla, therefore Say NO to STATE RELIGION!
What a pathetic sleight-of-hand trickery is this question -- If State language why not state religion?
Farida Majid
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