In 1952 Bengali students in East Pakistan
rose up and protested against the Pakistani government for declaring
Urdu as the national language. Majority of the Pakistanis Citizens ( as
of 1952 ), about 54% of the citizens, were Bengali. In the protest several students died for defending the Bangla language for themselves and for the future generations.
Procession march held on 4 February 1952 at Nawabpur Road, Dhaka.
The Urdu-Bengali controversy was reignited when Jinnah's successor,
governor-general Khawaja Nazimuddin, staunchly defended the "Urdu-only"
policy in a speech on 27 January 1952.[18] On 31 January, the Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod
(All-Party Central Language Action Committee) was formed in a meeting
at the Bar Library Hall of the University of Dhaka, chaired by Maulana Bhashani.[8][30] The central government's proposal of writing the Bengali language in Arabic script
was vehemently opposed at the meeting. The action committee called for
an all out protest on 21 February, including strikes and rallies.[18]
Students of the University of Dhaka and other institutions gathered on
the university premises on 4 February and warned the government to
withdraw its proposal to write Bengali in Arabic script, and insisted on
the recognition of Bengali. As preparation for demonstrations was going
on, the government imposed Section 144 in Dhaka, thereby banning any gatherings of more than four people.
Meeting on the University of Dhaka premises on 21 February 1952
At nine o'clock in the morning, students began gathering on the
University of Dhaka premises in defiance of Section 144. The university
vice-chancellor and other officials were present as armed police
surrounded the campus. By a quarter past eleven, students gathered at
the university gate and attempted to break the police line. Police fired
tear gas shells towards the gate to warn the students.[8]
A section of students ran into the Dhaka Medical College while others
rallied towards the university premises cordoned by the police. The
vice-chancellor asked police to stop firing and ordered the students to
leave the area. However, the police arrested several students for
violating section 144 as they attempted to leave. Enraged by the
arrests, the students met around the East Bengal Legislative Assembly
and blocked the legislators' way, asking them to present their
insistence at the assembly. When a group of students sought to storm
into the building, police opened fire and killed a number of students,
including Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abul Barkat and Abdul Jabbar.[8][31]
As the news of the killings spread, disorder erupted across the city.
Shops, offices and public transport were shut down and a general strike
began.[24]
At the assembly, six legislators including Manoranjan Dhar,
Boshontokumar Das, Shamsuddin Ahmed and Dhirendranath Datta requested
that chief minister Nurul Amin visit wounded students in hospital and that the assembly be adjourned as a sign of mourning.[32] This motion was supported by some of the treasury bench members including Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish, Shorfuddin Ahmed, Shamsuddin Ahmed Khondokar and Mosihuddin Ahmed.[32] However Nurul Amin refused the requests.[8][32]
22 February rally after janaja at Dhaka Medical College on the University Dhaka road, Dhaka.
Through the night of 23 February, students of Dhaka Medical College worked on the construction of a Shaheed Smritistombho, or Monument of Martyrs. Completed at dawn on 24 February, the monument had a handwritten note attached to it with the words "Shaheed Smritistombho".[35] Inaugurated by the father of the slain activist Sofiur Rahman, the monument was destroyed on 26 February by police.[36] On 25 February, industrial workers in the town of Narayanganj observed a general strike.[37] A protest followed on 29 February whose participants faced severe police beating.[38]
The government censored news reports and withheld exact casualty figures during the protests. Most pro-government media held Hindus and communists responsible for encouraging the disorder and student unrest.[39] The families of Abul Barkat and Rafiq Uddin Ahmed tried to charge the police with murder, but the charges were dismissed by the police. An 8 April government report on the incidents failed to show any particular justification for police firings on the students.[40] When the constituent assembly reconvened on 14 April, proceedings were stalled by members of the Muslim League when legislators from East Bengal sought to raise the language issue.[41] On 16 April, the University of Dhaka reopened and the Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod, or All-Party Central Language Action Committee, held a seminar on 27 April at the Bar Association Hall. At the meeting delegates urged the government to release prisoners, relax restrictions on civil liberties and adopt Bengali as an official language.
Foundation of the Shaheed Minar laid down in Dhaka by Abul Barkat's family members.
The Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod, with support from the Awami Muslim League, decided to commemorate 21 February as Shohid Dibosh
(Martyrs' Day). On the first anniversary of the protests, people across
East Bengal wore black badges in solidarity with the victims. Most
offices, banks and educational institutions were closed to observe the
occasion. Student groups made agreements with college and police
officials to preserve law and order. More than 100,000 people assembled
at a public meeting held in Armanitola in Dhaka, where community leaders called for the immediate release of Maulana Bhashani and other political prisoners.[8]
However, West Pakistani politicians such as Fazlur Rahman aggravated
sectional tensions by declaring that anyone who wanted Bengali to become
an official language would be considered an "enemy of the state."
Bengali students and civilians disobeyed the restrictions to celebrate
the anniversary of the protests. Demonstrations broke out on the night
of 21 February 1954 with various halls of the University of Dhaka
raising black flags in mourning.[42] Police arrested students and other protesters, who were released later despite refusing to post bail.
The United Front ministry ordered the creation of the Bangla Academy to promote, develop, and preserve Bengali language, literature, and heritage.[46] However, the United Front rule was temporary, as Governor General Ghulam Muhammad cancelled the government and started Governor's rule on 30 May 1954.[43] the United Front again formed the ministry on 6 June 1955 after the governor's regime ended. The Awami League did not participate in this ministry though.[47]
Following the return of the United Front to power, the anniversary on 21 February 1956 was observed for the first time in a peaceful atmosphere. The Government supported a major project to construct a new Shaheed Minar. The session of the constituent assembly was stopped for five minutes to express condolence for the students slain in the police shootings. Major rallies were organised by Bengali leaders and all public offices and businesses remained closed.[47][48]
However, the military government formed by Ayub Khan made attempts to re-establish Urdu as the sole national language. On 6 January 1959, the military regime issued an official statement and reinstated the official stance of supporting the 1956 constitution's policy of two state languages.[49]
Shaheed Minar, or the Martyr's monument, located near Dhaka Medical College commemorates those who lost their life during the protests on 21 February, 1952
The Language Movement had a major cultural impact on Bengali society.
It has inspired the development and celebration of the Bengali
language, literature and culture. 21 February, celebrated as Language
Movement Day or Shohid Dibosh (Martyrs' Day), is a major national holiday in Bangladesh. A month-long event called the Ekushey Book Fair is held every year to commemorate the movement. Ekushey Padak, one of the highest civilian awards in Bangladesh, is awarded annually in memory of the sacrifices of the movement.[50] Songs such as Abdul Gaffar Choudhury's Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano, set to music by Shaheed Altaf Mahmud, as well as plays, works of art and poetry played a considerable role in rousing the people's emotions during the movement.[51]
Since the events of February 1952, poems, songs, novels, plays, films,
cartoons and paintings were created to capture the movement from varied
point of views. Notable artistic depictions include the poems Bornomala, Amar Dukhini Bornomala and February 1969 by Shamsur Rahman, the film Jibon Theke Neya by Zahir Raihan, the stage play Kobor by Munier Chowdhury and the novels Ekushey February by Raihan and Artonaad by Shawkat Osman.[52]
Bangladesh officially sent a proposal to UNESCO to declare 21 February
as "International Mother Language Day." The proposal was supported
unanimously at the 30th General Conference of UNESCO held on 17 November
1999.[53]
Two years after the first monument was destroyed by the police, a new Shaheed Minar (Monument of Martyrs) was constructed in 1954 to commemorate the protesters who lost their lives. Work on a larger monument designed by the architect Hamidur Rahman began in 1957 with the support of the United Front ministry. Hamidur Rahman's model consisted of a large complex in the yard of the Dhaka Medical College Hostel. The design included a half-circular column symbolizing a mother with her martyred sons standing at the dais in the center of the monument. Although the imposition of martial law in 1958 interrupted the work, the monument was completed and inaugurated on 21 February 1963 by Abul Barkat's mother, Hasina Begum. Pakistani forces demolished the monument during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, but the Bangladeshi government reconstructed it in 1973.[54]
Outside East Bengal, movement for equal status of Bengali also took place in the Indian state of Assam. On May 19, 1961, 11 Bengalis were killed in Police firing in Silchar Railway Station, Assam, while demanding state recognition of Bengali language. Subsequently, Bengali was given co-official status in the three Bengali-majority districts of Assam.[55]
21 February
22 February
Disorder spread across the province as large processions ignored section 144 and condemned the actions of the police.[18] More than 30,000 people congregated at Curzon Hall in Dhaka. During the continued protests, police actions led to the death of four more people. This prompted officers and clerks from different organizations, including colleges, banks and the radio station, to boycott offices and join the procession.[24] Protesters burned the offices of two leading pro-government news agencies, the Jubilee Press and the Morning News.[33] Police fired on a major janaza, or mourning rally, as it was passing through Nawabpur Road. The shooting killed several people including activist Sofiur Rahman and a nine-year old boy named Ohiullah.[8][34]Continued unrest
The government censored news reports and withheld exact casualty figures during the protests. Most pro-government media held Hindus and communists responsible for encouraging the disorder and student unrest.[39] The families of Abul Barkat and Rafiq Uddin Ahmed tried to charge the police with murder, but the charges were dismissed by the police. An 8 April government report on the incidents failed to show any particular justification for police firings on the students.[40] When the constituent assembly reconvened on 14 April, proceedings were stalled by members of the Muslim League when legislators from East Bengal sought to raise the language issue.[41] On 16 April, the University of Dhaka reopened and the Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod, or All-Party Central Language Action Committee, held a seminar on 27 April at the Bar Association Hall. At the meeting delegates urged the government to release prisoners, relax restrictions on civil liberties and adopt Bengali as an official language.
Events after 1952
United Front in 1954
Political tensions came to a head as elections to the provincial assembly of East Bengal were held in 1954. The ruling Muslim League denounced the opposition United Front coalition, which—led by A. K. Fazlul Huq and the Awami League—wanted greater provincial autonomy. Several United Front leaders and activists were arrested.[43] A meeting of parliament's Muslim League members, chaired by prime minister Muhammad Ali Bogra, resolved to give official recognition to Bengali. This decision was followed by a major wave of unrest as other ethnic groups sought recognition of other regional languages. Proponents of Urdu such as Maulvi Abdul Haq condemned any proposal to grant official status to Bengali. He led a rally of 100,000 people to protest against the Muslim League's decision.[44][45] Consequently, the implementation failed and the United Front won a vast majority of seats in the legislative assembly, while the representation of the Muslim League was reduced to a historic low.[24][45]The United Front ministry ordered the creation of the Bangla Academy to promote, develop, and preserve Bengali language, literature, and heritage.[46] However, the United Front rule was temporary, as Governor General Ghulam Muhammad cancelled the government and started Governor's rule on 30 May 1954.[43] the United Front again formed the ministry on 6 June 1955 after the governor's regime ended. The Awami League did not participate in this ministry though.[47]
Following the return of the United Front to power, the anniversary on 21 February 1956 was observed for the first time in a peaceful atmosphere. The Government supported a major project to construct a new Shaheed Minar. The session of the constituent assembly was stopped for five minutes to express condolence for the students slain in the police shootings. Major rallies were organised by Bengali leaders and all public offices and businesses remained closed.[47][48]
Constitution reform
On 7 May 1954, the constituent assembly resolved, with the Muslim League's support, to grant official status to Bengali.[45] Bengali was recognised as the second official language of Pakistan on 29 February 1956, and article 214(1) of the constitution of Pakistan was reworded to "The state language of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali."However, the military government formed by Ayub Khan made attempts to re-establish Urdu as the sole national language. On 6 January 1959, the military regime issued an official statement and reinstated the official stance of supporting the 1956 constitution's policy of two state languages.[49]
Liberation of Bangladesh
Main article: Bangladesh Liberation War
Although the question of official languages was settled by 1956, the military regime of Ayub Khan promoted the interests of West Pakistan at the expense of East Pakistan.
Despite forming the majority of the national population, the East
Pakistani population continued to be under-represented in the civil and
military services, and received a minority of state funding and other
government help. This was mainly due to lack of representative government
in the fledgling state. Mainly due to regional economic imbalances
sectional divisions grew, and support for the Bengali ethnic nationalist
Awami League,[21] which invoked the 6-point movement for greater provincial autonomy. One demand was that East Pakistan be called Bangladesh (Land/Country of Bengal), which subsequently led to the Bangladesh Liberation War.[3][9]Legacy
Two years after the first monument was destroyed by the police, a new Shaheed Minar (Monument of Martyrs) was constructed in 1954 to commemorate the protesters who lost their lives. Work on a larger monument designed by the architect Hamidur Rahman began in 1957 with the support of the United Front ministry. Hamidur Rahman's model consisted of a large complex in the yard of the Dhaka Medical College Hostel. The design included a half-circular column symbolizing a mother with her martyred sons standing at the dais in the center of the monument. Although the imposition of martial law in 1958 interrupted the work, the monument was completed and inaugurated on 21 February 1963 by Abul Barkat's mother, Hasina Begum. Pakistani forces demolished the monument during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, but the Bangladeshi government reconstructed it in 1973.[54]
Outside East Bengal, movement for equal status of Bengali also took place in the Indian state of Assam. On May 19, 1961, 11 Bengalis were killed in Police firing in Silchar Railway Station, Assam, while demanding state recognition of Bengali language. Subsequently, Bengali was given co-official status in the three Bengali-majority districts of Assam.[55]
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