Blog Post #8

The topic is “International Mother Language Day and its origin.” I picked this because it is really close to my heart. My country, Bangladesh, where I was born and raised, is the reason why every year 21^st February is observed as International Mother Language day promoting awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. I want people to know about the existence of my country and the sacrifices it made to become one. This date represents the day in 1952 when students from the University of Dhaka and Dhaka Medical College demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed brutally by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh. After I moved to US, I have been through several conversations where people ask me where am I from and it is shocking that my answer is not really known to most of them. I’m proud to say that I’m from Bangladesh and Bangla is my mother tongue. The sacrifices my brothers made honor not only my language and culture but also every other cultures and languages of the world. Every year 21^st February is celebrated worldwide. In Bangladesh, people from all walks of life pay their respects by walking barefoot from their home or by laying down flowers to the Martyr's Monument (Shaheed Minar) and replications of that monument. They draw Alpana (colorful motifs, sacred art or painting done on a horizontal surface) on streets which emphasizes the bloodshed of their close ones. There is also famous song named "Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano" ("Coloured in the blood of my brother") which explains the beautiful street art. If I had to make an artwork to communicate my ideas, I would choose a two-dimensional canvas. I would use pictures to make collage, maybe use paints or color pencils to draw letters on it. The artwork can be anywhere in the walls of schools, colleges, libraries, malls, galleries or museums and this is for everybody as this day is recognized internationally.