State Minister Calls for Research on Unknown History of Language Movement

State Minister for Culture KM Khalid MP has called for more data collection and research on the unknown history of the language movement.

He made the call while addressing a seminar and cultural program organized by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of Glorious Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day 2022 at the National Library Auditorium of the Department of Archives and Libraries in the capital on Monday (February 21) afternoon.

The chief guest said that the important contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the language movement has been revealed through a series of books titled 'Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman' published with secret documents of Pakistani intelligence against Bangabandhu. The language movement still has a much unknown history. It is important to collect and research more data. Stakeholders, including the Department of Archives and Libraries, need to work harder on this.

The Minister of State for Culture said that it is known that Bangabandhu expressed doubts about the survival of Bengali as the state language of Pakistan on August 7, 1947, before the emergence of the state of Pakistan established on the basis of bi-ethnicity. In the midst of this declaration of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, 'Urdu shall be the only state language of Pakistan', Bangabandhu's fears came true.

KM Khalid said that there are important elements and history of language movement in different districts of the country outside Dhaka. Along with these issues, there is an opportunity for detailed research on Bangabandhu's contribution to the language movement.

Director-General of the Department of Archives and Libraries Farid Ahmad Bhuiyan and Registrar of the Bangladesh Copyright Office Zafar Raja Chowdhury also addressed the program chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Mohammad Abul Mansur. Additional Secretary of Ministry of Culture Sabiha Parveen made the Welcoming speech.

Md. Dawood Mia, Director, Department of Archives and Libraries, NDC, presented the papers on the language movement of 1948-1952 and the recognition of International Mother Language Day from the documents preserved by the Department of Archives and Libraries.

Later, the artists of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy performed a pleasant cultural program.