21 February is a memorable day in our national history. We observe the day every year as International Mother Language Day. The day is a national holiday.

On this day, we pay tribute to the martyrs who laid down their lives to establish Bangla as a state language in undivided Pakistan in 1952. The struggle to achieve our language rights is known as the Language Movement.

The seed of the Language Movement was sown on 21 March 1948 when Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Governor General of Pakistan, declared in a public meeting in Dhaka that Urdu would be the only state language of Pakistan. The declaration raised a storm of protest all over the country. The protest continued non-stop, gathering momentum day by day. It turned into a movement and reached its climax in 1952. The government outlawed all sorts of public meetings and rallies to stop it.

The students of Dhaka University defied the law and brought out a peaceful protest procession on 21 February 1952. When the procession reached near Dhaka Medical College, the police opened fire on the students, killing Salam, Rafiq, Barkat, Safiur and Jabbar. As a result, there were mass protests all over the country and the government had to declare Bangla as a state language. This kindled the sparks of independence movement of Bangladesh.

Bangla Translation: ২১শে ফেব্রুয়ারি আমাদের জাতীয় ইতিহাসের একটি স্মরণীয় দিন। আমরা প্রতি বছর দিনটি আন্তর্জাতিক মাতৃভাষা দিবস হিসেবে পালন করি। এই দিনটি একটি জাতীয় ছুটি।

এই দিনে, আমরা সেই শহীদদের প্রতি শ্রদ্ধা জানাই, যারা ১৯৫২ সালে অবিভক্ত পাকিস্তানে বাংলা ভাষাকে রাষ্ট্রভাষা হিসেবে প্রতিষ্ঠার জন্য তাদের জীবন উৎসর্গ করেছিলেন। আমাদের ভাষার অধিকার অর্জনের সংগ্রামটি ভাষা আন্দোলন হিসেবে পরিচিত।

ভাষা আন্দোলনের বীজ বপন করা হয় ২১শে মার্চ ১৯৪৮ সালে, যখন পাকিস্তানের গভর্নর জেনারেল মোহাম্মদ আলী জিন্নাহ ঢাকায় এক জনসভায় ঘোষণা করেন যে উর্দু হবে পাকিস্তানের একমাত্র রাষ্ট্রভাষা। এই ঘোষণা সারা দেশে তীব্র প্রতিবাদের ঝড় তোলে। প্রতিবাদ অব্যাহত থাকে এবং দিন দিন আরও তীব্র হয়। এটি একটি আন্দোলনে রূপ নেয় এবং ১৯৫২ সালে চূড়ান্ত পর্যায়ে পৌঁছে যায়। সরকার এটি দমন করতে সকল প্রকার সভা–সমাবেশ নিষিদ্ধ ঘোষণা করে।

ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের ছাত্ররা এই নিষেধাজ্ঞা অমান্য করে ২১শে ফেব্রুয়ারি ১৯৫২ সালে একটি শান্তিপূর্ণ মিছিল বের করেন। যখন মিছিলটি ঢাকা মেডিকেল কলেজের কাছে পৌঁছায়, তখন পুলিশ ছাত্রদের ওপর গুলি চালায়, ফলে সালাম, রফিক, বরকত, শফিউর এবং জব্বার শহীদ হন। এর ফলে দেশে ব্যাপক গণপ্রতিবাদ শুরু হয় এবং সরকার বাংলা ভাষাকে রাষ্ট্রভাষা হিসেবে ঘোষণা করতে বাধ্য হয়। এই ঘটনা বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা আন্দোলনের চেতনাকে উজ্জীবিত করে।

 A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives.

1. When is International Mother Language Day observed?
   (i) 16th December
   (ii) 26th March
   (iii) 21st February
   (iv) 14th April
   Ans: (iii) 21st February
2. What does Bangladesh observe on 21st February?
   (i) Victory Day
   (ii) Independence Day
   (iii) International Mother Language Day
   (iv) Constitution Day
   Ans: (iii) International Mother Language Day
3. Why is 21st February a national holiday in Bangladesh?
   (i) To celebrate the New Year
   (ii) To honor the martyrs of the Language Movement
   (iii) To commemorate Victory Day
   (iv) To celebrate Independence Day
   Ans: (ii) To honor the martyrs of the Language Movement
4. Who declared Urdu as the only state language of Pakistan?
   (i) Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
   (ii) Mohammad Ali Jinnah
   (iii) Khawaja Nazimuddin
   (iv) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
   Ans: (ii) Mohammad Ali Jinnah
5. When did Mohammad Ali Jinnah declare Urdu as the only state language?
   (i) 21st March 1948
   (ii) 21st February 1952
   (iii) 26th March 1971
   (iv) 16th December 1971
   Ans: (i) 21st March 1948
6. Where did Mohammad Ali Jinnah make his language declaration?
   (i) Lahore
   (ii) Karachi
   (iii) Dhaka
   (iv) Islamabad
   Ans: (iii) Dhaka
7. What was the reaction to Jinnah’s declaration about Urdu?
   (i) People accepted it
   (ii) It raised a storm of protests
   (iii) It was ignored
   (iv) People supported the decision
   Ans: (ii) It raised a storm of protests
8. What is the struggle to achieve language rights known as?
   (i) Liberation War
   (ii) Language Movement
   (iii) Political Rebellion
   (iv) Economic Protest
   Ans: (ii) Language Movement
9. In which year did the Language Movement reach its climax?
   (i) 1947
   (ii) 1952
   (iii) 1971
   (iv) 1969
   Ans: (ii) 1952
10. Why did the government outlaw public meetings in 1952?
    (i) To celebrate the Language Movement
    (ii) To stop the protests
    (iii) To declare Bangla as a state language
    (iv) To allow students to study
    Ans: (ii) To stop the protests
11. Which university’s students led the protest on 21 February 1952?
    (i) Rajshahi University
    (ii) Chittagong University
    (iii) Dhaka University
    (iv) Bangladesh Agricultural University
    Ans: (iii) Dhaka University
12. Where did the police open fire on the protesting students?
    (i) Near Dhaka University
    (ii) Near Dhaka Medical College
    (iii) Near the National Assembly
    (iv) Near the Supreme Court
    Ans: (ii) Near Dhaka Medical College
13. Who were some of the martyrs of the Language Movement?
    (i) Rafiq, Barkat, Salam, Safiur, Jabbar
    (ii) Sheikh Mujib, Ziaur Rahman, Tajuddin Ahmad
    (iii) Nazrul, Tagore, Jibanananda
    (iv) Lalon, Hason Raja, Jasim Uddin
    Ans: (i) Rafiq, Barkat, Salam, Safiur, Jabbar
14. What was the result of the student protests?
    (i) The government declared Bangla as a state language
    (ii) Students stopped protesting
    (iii) Urdu remained the only language
    (iv) The government ignored them
    Ans: (i) The government declared Bangla as a state language
15. What did the Language Movement eventually lead to?
    (i) Victory Day
    (ii) The independence movement of Bangladesh
    (iii) The rise of Urdu as a state language
    (iv) The British withdrawal from India
    Ans: (ii) The independence movement of Bangladesh
16. What was the primary demand of the Language Movement protesters?
    (i) More schools
    (ii) More jobs
    (iii) Recognition of Bangla as a state language
    (iv) Political freedom
    Ans: (iii) Recognition of Bangla as a state language
17. Which of the following best describes the significance of 21 February?
    (i) It was the day Bangladesh gained independence
    (ii) It marks the sacrifice for language rights
    (iii) It is the day Urdu was recognized
    (iv) It is a day for national elections
    Ans: (ii) It marks the sacrifice for language rights
18. How did the protest gain momentum?
    (i) The British supported it
    (ii) People from all walks of life joined
    (iii) The government funded it
    (iv) It was started by foreign activists
    Ans: (ii) People from all walks of life joined
19. What did the Language Movement influence in later years?
    (i) The Liberation War of 1971
    (ii) The partition of India
    (iii) The fall of the British Empire
    (iv) The industrial revolution
    Ans: (i) The Liberation War of 1971
20. Which organization declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day?
    (i) WHO
    (ii) UNESCO
    (iii) UNDP
    (iv) UNICEF
    Ans: (ii) UNESCO
21. Which year was Bangla officially recognized as a state language?
    (i) 1947
    (ii) 1952
    (iii) 1956
    (iv) 1971
    Ans: (iii) 1956
22. Which event is considered the seed of the Language Movement?
    (i) The Liberation War
    (ii) The declaration by Mohammad Ali Jinnah in 1948
    (iii) The partition of India
    (iv) The formation of the United Nations
    Ans: (ii) The declaration by Mohammad Ali Jinnah in 1948
23. What was the reaction of the Pakistani government to the protests?
    (i) They supported the protesters
    (ii) They ignored the protests
    (iii) They banned public meetings and rallies
    (iv) They encouraged the movement
    Ans: (iii) They banned public meetings and rallies
24. Which institution played a key role in the Language Movement?
    (i) Bangladesh National Parliament
    (ii) Dhaka University
    (iii) Supreme Court of Pakistan
    (iv) The World Bank
    Ans: (ii) Dhaka University
25. What did the students do on 21 February 1952?
    (i) They organized a peaceful protest march
    (ii) They joined a national election
    (iii) They met with the governor
    (iv) They formed a new political party
    Ans: (i) They organized a peaceful protest march
26. What did the police do to stop the student protest?
    (i) Arrested the students
    (ii) Opened fire on the protestors
    (iii) Blocked the roads
    (iv) Ignored the protest
    Ans: (ii) Opened fire on the protestors
27. Who was one of the first martyrs of the Language Movement?
    (i) Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
    (ii) Salam
    (iii) Ziaur Rahman
    (iv) Khawaja Nazimuddin
    Ans: (ii) Salam
28. Where did the shooting take place on 21 February 1952?
    (i) Near Dhaka Medical College
    (ii) Near the National Assembly
    (iii) At Suhrawardy Udyan
    (iv) In front of Dhaka University Library
    Ans: (i) Near Dhaka Medical College
29. What was the immediate consequence of the students’ death?
    (i) Nationwide protests erupted
    (ii) Bangla was recognized as a state language the next day
    (iii) The movement lost momentum
    (iv) The government banned Bangla permanently
    Ans: (i) Nationwide protests erupted
30. How did the Language Movement influence the independence movement?
    (i) It inspired people to fight for their rights
    (ii) It led to an economic revolution
    (iii) It resulted in diplomatic relations with India
    (iv) It caused a political crisis in Europe
    Ans: (i) It inspired people to fight for their rights
31. When did UNESCO declare 21 February as International Mother Language Day?
    (i) 1999
    (ii) 1952
    (iii) 1971
    (iv) 2000
    Ans: (i) 1999
32. Which country proposed 21 February to be recognized as International Mother Language Day?
    (i) Pakistan
    (ii) India
    (iii) Bangladesh
    (iv) Sri Lanka
    Ans: (iii) Bangladesh
33. Which organization made 21 February an international observance?
    (i) United Nations
    (ii) UNESCO
    (iii) SAARC
    (iv) WHO
    Ans: (ii) UNESCO
34. What is one of the key messages of International Mother Language Day?
    (i) Protecting linguistic diversity
    (ii) Promoting only English worldwide
    (iii) Supporting colonial languages
    (iv) Discouraging language education
    Ans: (i) Protecting linguistic diversity
35. What did the Language Movement demand?
    (i) Recognition of Bangla as a state language
    (ii) Formation of a new government
    (iii) Promotion of Urdu only
    (iv) Ban on Bangla in education
    Ans: (i) Recognition of Bangla as a state language
36. Why was the Language Movement significant for Bangladesh?
    (i) It led to economic growth
    (ii) It laid the foundation for the Liberation War
    (iii) It created a new constitution
    (iv) It ended British rule
    Ans: (ii) It laid the foundation for the Liberation War
37. Which of the following was NOT a reason for the Language Movement?
    (i) The imposition of Urdu
    (ii) The lack of educational materials in Bangla
    (iii) The demand for economic rights
    (iv) The recognition of Bangla as a state language
    Ans: (iii) The demand for economic rights
38. What does International Mother Language Day promote?
    (i) Use of multiple languages
    (ii) The dominance of one language
    (iii) The elimination of native languages
    (iv) The rejection of cultural heritage
    Ans: (i) Use of multiple languages
39. What sparked the nationwide protests in 1952?
    (i) The banning of political parties
    (ii) The police killing of students
    (iii) Economic struggles
    (iv) A natural disaster
    Ans: (ii) The police killing of students
40. What did the students carry during the protest on 21 February 1952?
    (i) Books
    (ii) Banners and placards
    (iii) Weapons
    (iv) Musical instruments
    Ans: (ii) Banners and placards
41. What does 21 February symbolize today?
    (i) A day of sports
    (ii) The fight for language rights and cultural identity
    (iii) A political event
    (iv) The introduction of Urdu in Bangladesh
    Ans: (ii) The fight for language rights and cultural identity
42. What inspired UNESCO to recognize 21 February?
    (i) Bangladesh’s proposal
    (ii) The independence of Pakistan
    (iii) The fall of the Soviet Union
    (iv) The economic growth of Bangladesh
    Ans: (i) Bangladesh’s proposal
43. What is the significance of Shaheed Minar?
    (i) It is a tribute to the Language Movement martyrs
    (ii) It is a government building
    (iii) It is a mosque
    (iv) It is a historical library
    Ans: (i) It is a tribute to the Language Movement martyrs
44. How do people in Bangladesh observe 21 February?
    (i) By hoisting the national flag at half-mast
    (ii) By ignoring the event
    (iii) By celebrating with fireworks
    (iv) By playing sports
    Ans: (i) By hoisting the national flag at half-mast
45. Why was the government forced to recognize Bangla?
    (i) Due to mass protests and public pressure
    (ii) Due to military intervention
    (iii) Because Urdu was unpopular
    (iv) Due to international pressure
    Ans: (i) Due to mass protests and public pressure
46. What is the main theme of the passage?
    (i) The historical significance of the Language Movement
    (ii) The economic development of Bangladesh
    (iii) The history of Urdu
    (iv) The global impact of English
    Ans: (i) The historical significance of the Language Movement

 B. Answer the following questions:

1. What is observed on 21 February every year?
2. Why is 21 February a memorable day in Bangladesh’s history?
3. What is the significance of International Mother Language Day?
4. When did UNESCO declare 21 February as International Mother Language Day?
5. Who were the martyrs of the Language Movement?
6. Why did the students protest on 21 February 1952?
7. Where did the police open fire on the protesting students?
8. What happened when the students brought out a peaceful procession?
9. How did the government react to the protests in 1952?
10. What was the initial cause of the Language Movement?
11. Who declared that Urdu would be the only state language of Pakistan?
12. When did Mohammad Ali Jinnah make the controversial language declaration?
13. What was the reaction of the people when Urdu was imposed as the only state language?
14. Why did the students of Dhaka University defy the government’s ban?
15. Which institution played a major role in the Language Movement?
16. Who were some of the students killed in the protest?
17. How did the death of the students impact the movement?
18. What demand did the protesters make during the Language Movement?
19. Why is the Language Movement considered the beginning of Bangladesh’s independence struggle?
20. How did the international community recognize the sacrifice of the language martyrs?
21. What kind of events take place on 21 February in Bangladesh?
22. Who proposed 21 February as International Mother Language Day to UNESCO?
23. What message does International Mother Language Day promote?
24. How does the people of Bangladesh pay tribute to the language martyrs?
25. Why did the Pakistani government want to impose Urdu as the only state language?
26. What role did the people of East Pakistan play in the Language Movement?
27. When was Bangla officially recognized as one of the state languages of Pakistan?
28. What does the Shaheed Minar symbolize?
29. How did the Language Movement inspire later movements in Bangladesh?
30. What lessons can be learned from the Language Movement?