Few nations on this planet have the rare opportunity of commemorating as glorious a day as the Ekushey and draw inspiration from it. This day, in 1952, had initiated the shaping of a cultural construct, an enthused sense of self-identity for the people of this land that eventually paved the way for their liberation - also the liberation of their hearts. The Ekushey thus epitomises the spirit of self-identity, a fruition of the innate longing of the Bengali people to be identified with what they consider most befitting, their mother language - Bangla. The martyrs who went down to police bullets on this day on Dhaka streets demanding Bangla as the state language of the newly born state of Pakistan had the unmistakable insight to foretell the fate of a people shorn of its core identity as characterised by its language most.
The unmatched distinction that marks Ekushey apart has been its ability to instil into the Bengali psyche the need for persistent struggle for emancipation, free speech and above all, freedom. So, what was originally a sacrifice for the mother language, stirred up an awakening in the socio-cultural and political arena resulting in the making of the nation that the Bengalis today are. A glorious tale this nation will live to tell for all times to come. This glory has been very aptly shared by the world community through the declaration of this day of February by the UNESCO as the International Mother Language Day. As the day is being celebrated today in every nook and cranny of the globe, the sacrifice of the language martyrs transcends not just the geographic boundary but holds aloft the dignity of all mother languages across the globe. No doubt, this day has become a milestone in recognition of the right to speak, promote and preserve all mother languages across all communities.
That the Ekushey has grown into more than a language movement to have its presence felt in all spheres of national life is unquestionable. It is here that it continues to be as relevant as it proved itself in the past. The spirit of Ekushey is to keep one's head high and not give in to the unjust and the unfair. Every year as the day approaches, it brings with it this reminder and calls for soul-searching. One need not argue that in the state of uncertainty and confrontational political culture that the country is now beset with, this soul-searching is extremely important. Observing the day as a ritual disregarding its relevance to the present state of affairs is essentially a betrayal of the values it imbibed in the people throughout the long stream of ordeals since the pre-liberation days. It is in the interest of the nation that the Ekushey should be in the hearts of all for all times to face the odds in the right spirit.
Ekushey and the identity of a people
FE Team | Published: February 21, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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