Language Movement (1952)

◼ What was the historical context of the Language

Movement?
◼ Explain the significance of Language Movement
in the history of emergence of Bangladesh.
Protest demonstrations
 First Stage of the Language Movement

1. Formation of Tamuddin Majlish

◼ On 15 September 1947 Tamuddun Majlis published the

booklet on the Language Movement entitled ‘Pakistaner
Rastrabhasha Bangla Na Urdu’. Professor Abul
Kashem, Dr. Qazi Motahar Hossain and Abul Mansur
Ahmed were the authors of this booklet.

◼ In October 1947, Tamuddun Majlis formed

Rastrabhasha Sangram Parishad to give the Language
Movement an organizational structure.
 2.Education Conference in Karachi

◼ In December 1947 an Educational

Conference was held in Karachi sponsored
by the Government of Pakistan.

◼ In this Conference the decision was taken to

make Urdu the state language of Pakistan.
 3. Formation of Sangram Parishad
◼ In January 1948 the Rastrabhasha Sangram Parishad
was reconstituted with a view to making Bengali a state
language. The Sangram Parishad raised the following
demands regarding the question of language:

a). Bengali shall be the medium of instruction and the

language of the offices and law Courts of East Bengal;

b). There will be two state languages of Pakistan Bengali and

Urdu.
 Second stage of the Language Movement

1. Demand by Dhirendra Nath Dutta

◼ In February 1948 when the first Assembly of

Pakistan started to record its proceedings in Urdu
side by side with English, Dhirendra Nath Dutta
of Comilla, a member of Assembly, protested
against it and demanded that Bengali be accorded
official recognition as one of the languages of the
Constituent Assembly.
 2. All-Party Rashtrabhasha Sangram Parishad and
Protest on 11 March 1948

◼ On 2 March 1948 formed the All-Party Rashtrabhasha Sangram

Parishad.
◼ The Samgram Parishad called a general strike on 11 March 1948 to
resist the conspiracy of the Government in the language issue.
◼ On that day, many students were injured and many leaders including
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Shamsul Huq and Oli Ahad were arrested.
◼ It was decided that 11 March would be declared ‘Bengali Language
Demand Day’.
◼ In such a situation, the Chief Minister Khwaja Nazimuddin met the
Sangram Parishad on 15 March and signed an agreement with them.
◼ By this agreement, he agreed to release the arrested students, to
investigate police excesses, to move a Bill in the Assembly for making
Bengali a state language.
 3. Announcement of Muhammad Ali Jinnah

◼ On 21 March 1948, Muhammad Ali Jinnah visited Dhaka

and addressed a public meeting at the then Race Course
Maidan.
◼ In that meeting he declared, “Urdu and only Urdu shall be
the state language of Pakistan”.
◼ When he repeated these words at the Dhaka University
Convocation Ceremony held on 24 March at the Curzon
Hall, the students protested vehemently by shouting ‘No,
No’.
◼ On that day, Rastrabhasha Parishad submitted a
memorandum to Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
 Announcement of Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Mohammad Ali Zinnah on 21 March 1948

Protest of the students
4. Proposed of introduction of Arabic script

◼ In 1948, It is proposed that introduction of Arabic

script, or Urdu letters for writing Bengali.
◼ Dr. Shahidullah was proposed to be appointed for
the purpose of introducing Arabic script. But he
rejected the proposal.
◼ In April 1949 the students of the Bengali
Department, DU submitted a memorandum to
Pakistan Education Advisory Board protesting
against this objectionable proposal.
Last stage of the Language Movement

1. Formation of Purbo Bangla Bhasha Committee

◼ On 9 March 1949 the Government of East

Bengal formed the Purbo Bangla Bhasha
Committee for reforming Bengali language.

◼ Maulana Akram Khan was the President of this

Committee.
2. Announcement of Liaquat Ali Khan

◼ In September 1950 The Prime Minister Liaquat

Ali Khan declared in the Constituent Assembly
that only Urdu would be the state language of
Pakistan.

◼ But in the face of strong protest from the people of

East Bengal, the Constituent Assembly postponed
the discussion.
3. Announcement of Khwaja Nazimuddin

◼ On 26 January 1952 at a public meeting in Dhaka,

Khwaja Nazimuddin declared that Urdu would be
the only state language of Pakistan.

◼ This declaration created a strong resentment and

as a mark of protest a call for hartal throughout the
province was given.
 4. Meeting of All Party Rashtrabhasha Sangram Committee

◼ The Committee decided to call a strike on 4

February and observe 21 February as the State
Language Day and to observe hartal in the
country.

◼ February 21 had been chosen as the State

Language Day since the East Pakistan Provincial
assembly was scheduled to sit on that day.
 Events of 1952
◼ On 20 February the Government of Nurul Amin, being scared of the student Movement
imposed section 144 at 3 p.m., and banned the processions and the meetings.

◼ On 21 February, the students of Dhaka University in an organized way defied section 144
and leading a procession from the University campus proceeded towards the Provincial
Assembly which was in session, chanting the slogan “Rashtrabhasha.Bangla Chai”. In a
tense situation the students assembled in the campus. The police used tear gas to disperse
the students. And clashes occurred between the police and the students. At one stage, the
police opened fire. A number of people and students including Jabbar, Rafiq, Barkat and
Salam were martyred and many students and people were injured.

◼ A big rally, came out on the street as a mark of protest. Police opened fire on this rally too.
As a result, Safiur Rahman was killed. On the same day, in a meeting of the students held
at the Dhaka Medical College hostel, it was decided to build a Shaheed Minar.
Accordingly, the Students erected a 12-feet high Shaheed Minar in front of DMC.

◼ the father of Shaheed Safiur Rahman formally inaugurated the Shaheed Minar. But in the
evening of 24 February, police demolished this Shaheed Minar. In memory of that,
another Shaheed Minar was built later on the same site and that is the present Central
Shaheed Minar.
Police opened fire on this rally
 Bangla as State language
◼ At last, the Government of Nurul Amin adopted a resolution in
the Provincial Assembly to the effect that a proposal would be
raised at the Constituent Assembly containing the demand to
accord Bengali the status of one of the state languages of
Pakistan.

◼ In the face of continuous student’s and people’s Movements the

Pakistan Government was compelled to give Bengali the status
of one of the state languages.

◼ Finally, Bengali was given the status of one of the state

languages in the Constitution of Pakistan of 1956.
Original Shaheed Minar 1952, Dhaka
Original Shaheed Minar 1952, Dhaka The second Shaheed Minar, 21 February 1954
 Significance of Language Movement
◼ The Language Movement is one of the most important days in our history. It has been
suggested that the freedom struggle of Bangladesh originated from the Bengali language
movement. In a way this is correct, as the basic inspiration for the freedom struggle of
the Bengali-speaking people of Pakistan came mainly from linguistic nationalism.

◼ Language is the prime carrier of a culture. It is also the most powerful instrument of
preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. During the course of
world history, many cultures and civilizations have been shattered, devastated and
crushed because of the demolition of their languages.

◼ Language is not only the principal representative of a culture of one nation but it also
creates sense of patriotism and nationalism in people’s mind. Bengali and Bangla
language is an appropriate example of that. Bengali people created one of the greatest
political and cultural histories in the 20th century. The events of 21February 1952
proved that a nation which is strong and powerful politically cannot destroy a spirited
civilized nation if they have a unifying language like Bangla.
The General Election of 1954 and the
language Issue
◼ In March 1954, The United Front pledged that if
they won in election, the following steps would be
taken:

a). Bengali will be made one of the state languages

of Pakistan.
b). Arrangements will be made to impart education
through the mother tongue only.
Mass Upsurge of 1969 and the Bengali Language

◼ The vanguard of the anti-Ayub Mass Movement was the 'All

Party Students Committee of Action' which, on the basis of an
11 -point program, successfully directed the mass upsurge and
brought about Ayub's fall.
◼ One of the points of the program was "Education at all levels
must be given through the mother tongue: Bengali language
must be introduced in the law courts and government offices."
• Challenged the founding ideology of Pakistan as well as “Two
Nation Theory”.
• The killing of language movement led to bitter feelings among
East Pakistanis and they were a major factor in the push for
independence.
◼ That created sense of patriotism and nationalism in people’s
mind.
 Conclusion
◼ The importance of the language movement is immense in awakening
the sense of rights and independence of Bengalis. The language
movement has, directly and indirectly, influenced all political, social
and cultural activities since 1952. The influence was so far-reaching
that relationship was established between the common and political
people. Trust was established with each other, which accelerated the
nation’s liberation struggle.

◼ It was through the language movement that the first rebellious attitude
against the rule and exploitation of Pakistan was manifested in the
Bengali heart. It can be said that the language movement was the
beginning of the realization of all kinds of rights of Bengalis. Firstly,
through the language movement, the people of Bengal became aware
of their demands.
◼ This movement instilled morale and strong self-confidence in the
minds of people which evoked a sense of nationalism. The education
movement of 1962, the six-point movement of 66, the mass uprising of
the 69, the election of the seventy and the liberation struggle of the
seventy-one in every field provided the morale and strength of the
language movement.

◼ Bangladesh has now established a unique position on the world map.

The name of Bangladesh is being used loudly in world politics. In the
new world, we are all the time facing new challenges. We must all
come forward together to meet the challenges of this twenty-first
century.

*********