H.E. Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal and spouse Dr. Dilruba Nasrin.
By Roy Lie A Tjam.
Each year, on 21 February the International Mother Language Day is celebrated. The Director-General of UNESCO Dr. Irina Bokova, has delivered an address. Here is what she has said “ UNESCO celebrates International Mother Language Day (IMLD) on February 21, 2017, under the theme “Towards Sustainable Futures through Multilingual Education”.
To foster sustainable development, learners must have access to education in their mother tongue and in other languages. It is through the mastery of the first language or mother tongue that the basic skills of reading, writing, and numeracy are acquired. Local languages, especially minority and indigenous, transmit cultures, values, and traditional knowledge, thus playing an important role in promoting sustainable futures”
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The history, it all started in 1952 when students demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh. Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage.
In the words of Nelson Mandela, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” We must do, all we can, to save our mother tongue, culture and our unity in diversity.
The Hague – On the initiative of the Embassy of Bangladesh in the Netherlands, the International Mothers Day was celebrated in The Hague. The host H.E. Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal delivered an inspiring welcome address.
Other Embassies joint Bangladesh in the celebratory activities, these are: H.E. Ambassador of India, Mr. J. S. Mukul, H.E. Ambassador of Malaysia, Mr. Ahmad Nazri Bin Yusof and spouse Syarizan Adzlinda Mohd Zin, H.E. Ambassador of Sri Lanka, Mr. Adam M. J. Sadiq, Madam Mrs. Rusdijana Puja spouse of the Ambassador of Indonesia, Embassy of Thailand, Chargé d’affairs Mr. Asi Mamanee, Chargé d’affairs Mr. Thang from the Embassy of Vietnam, First Secretary of the Embassy of Rwanda, Mr. Herbert Ndahiro and Deputy Mayor of Den Haag, Mr. Rabin Baldewsingh.
These Ambassadors or representatives of the participating countries, graced the occasion by being present at the function and the speeches they have delivered. All speakers stressed the fact that language is the identifying agent of a people/culture and should therefore not be trampled upon by no power. Furthermore, the program contained: a floral tribute to the Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the martyrs, furthermore modern- and traditional dances and songs.
Noteworthy was a sketch performed by youngsters. In a very simple way, they recounted the lamentable history of how mother language day came about. The Bangla speaking students who got killed by the occupying power just for exercising their right as humans to speak their mother tongue. It is unique, only Bangla speaking people have offered their lives in order to guard their mother language. A fact recognized by the UN.
The Embassy of Bangladesh in the Netherlands under the acumen leadership of H.E. Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal has put the wheels into motion in order to obtain a Mother Language monument in The Hague. There are good omens that the unveiling of the International Mother Language monument will come to pass.
All in all, the International Mother Language Day 2017 celebration, the Bangladeshi community in the Netherlands along with various other communities have celebrated it in a spirit of peace and fraternity. Let’s celebrate humanity!
