Bangladesh: Language martyrs' biographies may be included in textbooks

[Harold Schiffman]

Language Martyrs
Biographies may be included in textbooks

Staff Correspondent


The demand for including biographies of language martyrs in national
textbooks will be considered seriously and the government will take
measures in this regard very soon. Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur
Rahman said this while addressing a seminar and discussion to mark
International Mother Language Day at the Biam auditorium in the
capital yesterday. Dr Hossain also said that the government would
consider this with top priority. He added that the time has come to
place emphasis on a language policy and issues relating to indigenous
people, ethical education and small ethnic groups.

The education ministry and Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO
jointly organised the seminar and open discussion where participants
narrated contribution of language martyrs to Bengali as a mother
tongue. Prof Serajul Islam, president of Asiatic Society, said around
26 crore people speak Bangla around the globe today making it the
sixth most spoken language in the world. Economist Dr Atiur Rahman
said Bangla language is the people's language and is not an oppressed
language. He said the government should now focus on ethnic languages
of the country as many ethnic languages are gradually dying out.

Prof SMA Faiz, vice chancellor of Dhaka University, told the gathering
that the concept of visiting professorship should be introduced in the
universities of the country immediately so that foreign language
experts can come to Bangladesh and carry out valuable researches on
Bangla language.Dhaka University History Department Professor Dr Ahmed
Kamal and language martyr Jabbar's wife Amena Khatun and son Nurul
Islam Badal also addressed the seminar.

Education Additional Secretary AKM Abdul Awal Mazumder conducted the
discussion.

 http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=24458

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