February 21 marks International Mother Language Day, recognized annually by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The day commemorates the importance of preserving multilingualism globally and maintaining the myriad cultures and identities that sustain themselves through language.
International Mother Language Day originated in present-day Bangladesh. On Ekushey February (or February 21), Bengalis fought for linguistic sovereignty in what was then officially known as East Pakistan. At that time, West and East Pakistan were one nation, yet geographically these regions did not touch, straddling either side of India. Furthermore, the regions were culturally and linguistically distinct. The 1950s brought to the foreground the conflict over whether or not Bangla (also known as Bengali) could be one of the national languages of Pakistan. Ekushey February is celebrated in Bangladesh to commemorate those who were killed during the language movement demonstrations in 1952 - and indeed, all the way through to the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. For Bangladeshis, on this day, people gather early in the morning at their nearest Shahid Minar (monument to the martyrs), walking barefoot and placing flowers in front of the monument in honor of those who died so that present-day Bangladeshis can speak Bangla. The iconic song "Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano Ekushey February" is played, translated loosely as "Can I forget the blood of my brothers spilled on February 21?"
Bangladesh's struggle for linguistic sovereignty and eventually, liberation is depicted in literary works such as Tahmima Anam's novel A Golden Age, a novel recently assigned in fall 2021 in Ashland University's ENG 316: Postcolonial Literature course. The broader issue of the value of the "mother tongue" and the cost of language erasure is also discussed thoroughly in courses such as ENG 330: African Literature, most notably in the context of the famous debate between writers Chinua Achebe and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o in their respective essays on African literature.
The AU Department of Languages and Literatures joins the global commemoration of International Mother Language Day, recognizing the unique power of language in holding the multitude of human experiences that make up our world.
