State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam today said Bangladesh is grateful to the international community for their understanding and recognition of the spirit of the Great Language Movement.“The international mother language day which is set against the backdrop of our language movement is a great contribution of Bangladesh to the promotion of linguistic diversity and multilingualism,” he said.The state minister was addressing at a programme marking the Language Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day at foreign service academy in the capital. Alam said that the International Mother Language Day, which is currently being observed worldwide, is a testament to the power of language as a means of communication, cultural expression, and social cohesion.
“I reiterate our deep commitment to build a more inclusive and equitable world, where every language is valued and respected,” said the state minister.He said the world is incredibly diverse, with people from different cultures and linguistic backgrounds living and working together.However, he said this diversity can sometimes lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, which can create division and tension.“Therefore, it is crucial that we work towards creating cultural and linguistic harmony,” he added. He said more intercultural dialogues should be initiated, to break the barriers and bridge the gap between different communities. “Changing of perspective is very crucial to ensure positive outcomes of our initiatives,” he added.Alam said that youths along with the government and non-government stakeholders from all levels could be engaged to generate innovative solutions of the challenges that the world faces in promoting cultural and linguistic harmony.In this era of technological advancement, he said, social media, print and electronic media can be a very effective tool in this regard.“We recognize that language plays a crucial role in shaping our identity as Bangali nation and our culture … possibly, we are the only nation in the world to sacrifice lives for dignity of mother language.” he said.In 1948, Alam said, the Rashtrabhasha Sangram Parishad (State Language Movement Committee) was formed in association with the student organisations according to a proposal of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The Parishad called a strike on 11 March 1948 demanding Bangla to be one of the state languages of Pakistan while on that day, the Father of the Nation was arrested and imprisoned.“On 21 February 1952, they (the then Pakistani regime) opened fire on the peaceful demonstration of students and brutally killed our students in the day light. Rafiq, Shafiq, Barkat, Jabbar and many others were martyred near the Dhaka Medical College,” Alam recalled the historic episode. Noted that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his maiden speech at the UN General Assembly in 1974, Alam said, “He (Bangabandhu) did it with a purpose. The purpose was to let the people know about Bangla for which Bangalee nation sacrificed their lives and to upheld the prestige of mother tongue”.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also delivers her speech at the UN General Assembly in Bangla, he added.As a result of the Awami League government’s continuous efforts, the state minister said that the United Nations declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day on November 17 in 1999. Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and members of the diplomatic community were present at the event.

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