Learn about Ekushey February, the Bengali Language Movement, and its impact on the creation of Bangladesh. Discover the history and legacy of this important day.
UNESCO's International Mother Language Day and the Fight for Linguistic Rights
The 21st of February is known as “Ekushey February” or “Ekushey,” meaning “the 21st” in Bangla. It marks a pivotal moment in the Bengali Language Movement, when, in 1952, students of the University of Dhaka protested against the imposition of Urdu in what was then East Pakistan. Today, UNESCO recognises February 21 as International Mother Language Day, to commemorate the Bengali people's struggle for their language and culture.
Troubles in East and West Pakistan
The newly-formed state of Pakistan, created during India’s Partition, was divided into two parts on either side of India: East and West Pakistan. East Pakistan was Bengali-speaking and was ethnically and culturally very different from the Urdu-speaking West. In 1948, the government of Pakistan announced that Urdu would be the only state language, which sparked tensions in the East. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Governor General of Pakistan, declared that the language agitation was intended to divide Pakistani Muslims, and insisted that “Urdu and only Urdu” would be the state language of the country.
Protests in the East in 1952
On January 27, 1952, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Khawaja Nazimuddin reiterated that there would be no compromise with the “Urdu only” policy. In response, the newly-formed All-Party Central Language Action Committee called for a protest. The authorities, however, imposed section 144, which banned any large-scale gathering. Undeterred, students and protestors gathered at the University of Dhaka, where they were met with tear gas and police arrests.
The next day, thousands gathered at the university campus, and the police fired at the crowd, killing multiple protesters. In the next few days, the protests spread across East Pakistan, and the government gagged the media, blaming “Hindus and communists” for instigating the violence. The official number of people who died on February 21, 1952, was 29.
Legacy of Ekushey February
In 1954, the Muslim League lost assembly elections in the East, and when the first constitution of Pakistan was enacted in 1956, Bangla was adopted as the official language of Pakistan along with Urdu. However, Bengalis were still underrepresented nationally and economically, and socially disadvantaged. Eventually, this would lead to the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.
Ekushey February is a defining symbol for Bangladeshis. Nationalism requires national symbols: artefacts, incidents or individuals who epitomise a certain idea of a nation. As Abdul Gaffarn Choudhury's poignant song ‘Ekusher Gaan’ goes: Amar bhaiyer rokte rangano ekushe Februari, Ami ki bhulite pari (Can I ever forget the 21st of February, coloured by my brother’s blood?)
This year, the theme of International Mother Language Day is “Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education,” emphasising the importance of Indigenous people’s education and languages. It is a timely reminder of the struggle for language and cultural rights and the need to respect linguistic diversity. The legacy of Ekushey February lives on in the hearts of Bangladeshis, who fought for their mother tongue and in the wider world, as a symbol of linguistic and cultural identity.
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