The Importance of Bengali Language Movement

The Significance of Language Movement of Bangladesh 

Coloured with the blood of Shaheed who sacrificed their lives in February 1952, language Movement gives people socio-politico-psychological confidences and knowledge on which subsequent movements for autonomy and independence grew in the then East Pakistan. Known as the Bhasha Andolon in Bengali, language movement of Bangladesh had sown the seeds that ultimately lead to the emergence of the separate sovereign nation (Bangladesh) in 1971. 

Bengali people are perhaps the one who shed their blood for their mother tough. Bangladesh has become the only country in the world by naming after its language. The Importance of the Bengali Language Movement has been written below: 


1. A movement can create and develop a new set of leaders. 

2. Political knowledge and consciousness of the local people increased. 

3. Bengali national identity was developed in East Pakistan. 

4. Fall of Muslim league and Dawn of Awami League 

5. Creation of secular and broad thinking in the politics 

6. Growing importance of teachers and students in the political and economic context 

7. How to get things done? – The people understood 

8. Practice of democratic thoughts 

9. Unity of people from various professions in East Pakistan. 

10. Rising importance of middle class in the society 

11. Political knowledge for future action and movement 

12. Language movement also catalyzed the following events: 

# 1954 general election: Incorporating a package of 21 point programme, an alliance of the opposition parties called United Front (4 parties of East Bengal) won against the ruling party, Muslim league in the elections of the East Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1954. 

# Recognizing Bangla in the constitution as one of the state languages of Pakistan in 1956. 

# Student movement against the Sharif Education Policy in 1962, 

# Six point movement in 1966 

# Mass uprising in 1969 

# The first and the last general election of united Pakistan in 1970 

# And finally the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

# In 1999, February 21 was recognised as International Mother Language Day by UNESCO. From 2000, February 21 has been celebrated as International Mother Language Day around the world to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. 

# For promoting the unity in diversity and international understanding, through multilingualism and multiculturalism, the year 2008 was declared as the International Year of Languages by the UN General Assembly with the slogan "Languages Matter. 


The significance of a movement lies in outcomes that it can bring more tides and more movements. The Bengali Language movement is one of the stepping stones of Liberation Movement and ultimate freedom.

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