The undying spirit of Ekushey

Ekushey February, observed nationally as the Language Martyrs Day and globally as the International Mother Language Day, is unique in its sweep. The day symbolises the matchless struggle and sacrifice of the Bengalis of this part of the world to uphold the cause and honour of their mother tongue. Ekushey in 1952 shaped the cultural contour of the Bengalis who had started receiving raw deals from the then rulers of an independent country after the partition of the Colonial British India.  The occasion remained a source of inspiration for all the movements that the nation had launched against injustice, deprivation and discriminations and, above all, subjugation during the Pakistani era. 

The historic Language Movement, in fact, was the beginning of a long yet intermittent battle of the people of the then East Pakistan against all odds. The movement was over but it successfully had instilled a rebellious spirit in their psyche to fight relentlessly and persistently against any attempt to suppress freedom and promote exploitation -- economic or otherwise. The formation of the United Front in the mid 1950s that led to the electoral defeat of the then political coterie in power, the Education Movement in the early 1960s, the Six-Point Movement under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman -- the founding Father of Bangladesh in the mid 1960s, the 11-point Students Movement in the late 1960s, the landslide electoral victory of the Awami League in 1970 etc., do amply bear this out. What happened later is known to all. The call for freedom struggle given by the Bangabandhu in his historic March 07 speech at the Race Course Maidan in 1971 and the subsequent Liberation War were the most significant developments, paving the way for triumphant emergence of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign entity in the comity of nations. Ekushey spirit had served the key inspirational role in freeing the country from the clutches of the Pakistani occupational force.

The glorious Language Movement of 1952 has thus played a unique role in shaping the life and living of the Bengalis in this part of the world, who now constitute an independent nation.  Its appeal has transcended the national border and got global recognition, following the UNESCO's decision to commemorate it as the International Mother Language Day. This is purported to help create consciousness among nations and communities about the importance of their respective languages. Scores of languages belonging to small communities or ethnic groups across the world have gone extinct over time, just because nobody ever cared to preserve them. If the spirit of immortal Ekushey is inculcated into the communities concerned -- no matter how small they are, there would be greater efforts to protect and preserve their own languages.

These days, the Ekushey is observed at the national level amid myriad commemorative events to pay homage to the martyrs of the Language Movement. Mourning processions, rallies, cultural programmes etc., are organised aplenty in cities and towns. Unfortunately, such events on some counts have become rather ritualistic, giving them a 'commercial' look. This must not be the case with the observance of the day that should remain serene and sombre in its tone and tenor. In this context, the commemoration of the day merits a thorough soul-searching, particularly when divisive politics, degradation of moral and ethical values and dominance of 'evil elements' are eating into the vitals of the nation.

The spirit of the Ekushey teaches one to keep one's head high and wage struggle against what is unfair and unjust. But that spirit now appears to be missing as the goings-on do suggest: society has become sterile, more or less, and does not have enough strength to fight against what are inimical to its own healthy and promising future on all counts. The spirit of Ekushey should, by all means, inspire all concerned to make concerted efforts, unceasingly, for inclusive development, shared prosperity and upholding proper values and norms. All these are critically important for the nation's steady march onward in a sustainable manner.