![]() ![]() ![]() How contemporary advertisements are abusing the language for cheap popularity of their commodity? They are concerned about the influence that Bollywood culture has on Bangla and the way people, particularly young generation are speaking in a form of Bangla that is more Banglish than Bangla (Rahima Akhter, Banglish chorchay jokhon porabhuta Ekusher chetona, Prothom Alo, March 7, 2017). In these news reports, eminent citizens are found expressing concern about how the radio jockeys are desacralising the ‘ideal’ form of Bangla. There is another set of reactions presented in the media that also contributes to the making of this phenomenon. Even a cursory glance at the title of essays published in the Amar Ekushey newspaper supplements demonstrates the collective anxiety over the status of Bangla: ‘Our responsibility towards Bangla’ (Ashraf Ahmed, Prothom Alo, February 21 2021) ‘Bengali’s lost love for Bangla’ (Eresh Omar Jamal, The Daily Star, February 21, 2017) ‘The extinction of Bangla’ (Naira Khan, The Daily Star, February 21, 2016). As a researcher, I have been closely following the newspaper supplements on International Mother Language Day or any public conversation on the status of Bangla in Bangladesh. ![]() Let me first clarify what I am referring to when I say the ‘lost love for Bangla’ phenomenon. Without examining the structural condition in which a language can freely evolve, I find it rather odd to complain that the young generation are distancing themselves from the language - an issue that many have termed as our ‘lost love for Bangla.’ I term this phenomenon of ‘lost love for Bangla’ as the othering of Bangla in independent Bangladesh, because I think it is important for us to ask, why the language we fought for in 1952 has faced a slow social and institutional alienation in the subsequent decades. These responses led me to think, whether social and institutional environment is ensured in post-independent Bangladesh for Bangla to thrive in everyday life or Bangla has been reduced to an object of nationalist gratification? Due to the institutional bias towards Arabic in madrassah and demand for English in the job market, a madrassah student deprioritised learning Bangla. They are the languages of the immediate and distant oppressors. In the experience of an ethnic minority student from Chattogram Hill Tracts, Bangla and English bear certain similarities. It survives and evolves through classed, gendered, religious and ethnic experiences. What this set of answers made evident is that language is not a thing to celebrate or mourn. How can you not know Bangla being Bangladeshi, but it is as difficult as English for us.’ It would be mistaken to say we don’t know the language before we start school. During our childhood, we don’t have much everyday communication in Bangla. A student of Khagrachari College related her struggle with Bangla and English: Therefore, it is not a surprise that it appears as difficult.’įor ethnic minority students in Bangladesh, their relationship with Bangla, for obvious reasons, is different. Inevitably, as a formal topic of learning, Bangla gets very little attention from students. A good student would try to emphasise English after Arabic, because you need to know English in order to remain competitive in this education system, to get into good universities. Unlike English medium schools, here Arabic is prioritised over other subjects. ‘Effectively we are forced to learn Arabic, English and Bangla. I asked the same question to a student of an upscale madrassah at Mohammadpur, Dhaka and the response was: That might be the reason that it eventually gets difficult for us.’ Since Bangla is our mother tongue, we are more casual about it. Instead, if you get it for a Bangla essay writing competition, they will be happy, but not as happy. At the end of the year, if you get a prize in science, your parents will be very happy. ![]() So, from very early on we put in more effort in English, mathematics or science. ‘We are not rewarded for doing well in Bangla. Then I asked an SSC examinee of English version curriculum of Kakoli School and College whether he thought Bangla is difficult because of its grammar and he said: SUNAMGANJ HAOR EMBANKMENT PROJECTS 40pc works still to be done as deadline missed.New, outlying district public univs failing to woo students.Not for anyone to walk dully along, and away.Foreigners working illegally go unchecked.Follies in following in the footstep of Hindi.Indian media report warrants no response: foreign ministry.Quota-system of job distribution needs to be reformed.Government must protect civilians in frontiers. ![]()
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