As the world marks International Mother Language Day today, a persistent question resurfaces: what role should mother tongues play in education?
This question is not merely an academic one for me; it is shaped by my origins and by my educational and professional experience. International Mother Language Day offers an opportunity to highlight the importance of mother tongues and to urge greater linguistic sensitivity in linguistically diverse societies, particularly towards communities whose languages have long been marginalised. To articulate this argument meaningfully, it is essential to situate contemporary debates within their historical context.
The Language Movement of 1952 in former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, occupies a pivotal place in the region’s political history, as it preceded the events of the 1971 civil war and the eventual secession of East Pakistan. The movement gained momentum following the decision to proclaim Urdu as the sole national language of the then Dominion of Pakistan, a policy that overlooked the country’s considerable linguistic and cultural diversity.
On February 21, 1952, students at Dhaka University, along with other activists, protested this decision and called for the recognition of Bengali as a state language for East Pakistan. The demonstrations were countered with force by law enforcement agencies, leading to the loss of several lives. These events deeply affected the Bengali population and strengthened an already growing movement for their ethnic rights.
In the years that followed, the language movement evolved into a broader struggle for autonomy that culminated in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. The two geographically distinct wings of Pakistan were not just physically apart but also linguistically distinct: East Pakistan was largely homogeneous, while West Pakistan was linguistically diverse.
However, the 1947 Pakistan Educational Conference, held in Karachi, was insensitive to this linguistic divide and proposed making Urdu a compulsory second language in schools across the country. The decision sowed the seeds of distrust between the two wings of the newly formed country.
While language was not the sole factor behind East Pakistan’s eventual separation, it significantly eroded mutual trust and gradually intensified existing economic and political conflicts.
Although Bengali was recognised as a national language in 1956, the Language Movement’s impact extended far beyond linguistic recognition. The memory of those who lost their lives, immortalised in the Shaheed Minar in Dhaka’s famous Ramna area, continued to serve as a symbol of resistance in subsequent struggles for political autonomy.
In an ironic twist of history, when Islamabad was being designed in the 1960s, the first and oldest sector of the newly built capital was originally named after Ramna, though it is now known as G sector – an obscure historical echo of a place central to the Language Movement.
Despite being the mother tongue of only about 10 per cent of the population in present- day Pakistan (formerly West Pakistan), Urdu continues to hold the status of the sole national language in a linguistically diverse nation. In contrast, East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, with a largely homogenous population, initially did not have the option to adopt Bengali as the national language in their region.
At the Pakistan Educational Conference of 1947, the first interior minister, Fazlur Rahman, and the conference chairperson argued, “We need a language for inter-provincial communication, and in this connection the claims of Urdu call for special consideration”. However, Dr Qudrat-e-Khuda, an education committee member from East Pakistan, opposed making Urdu the compulsory second language in schools. Interestingly, both Fazlur Rahman and Dr Qudrat-e-Khuda hailed from the region that was then East Pakistan.
The commemoration of February 21 as International Mother Language Day, advocated by the government of Bangladesh, serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made to protect linguistic diversity and the right of individuals to learn and express themselves in their mother tongue. Recognised by Unesco in 1999, the observance highlights not only the importance of preserving cultural heritage but also the role of linguistic diversity as a cornerstone of social justice and unity.
The year 2025 marked the Silver Jubilee of International Mother Language Day, observed worldwide since 2000. Reflecting the rich multilingual heritage of the subcontinent, India recognises 22 languages as national languages, including Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi and Sindhi.
It is vital to recognise and celebrate the richness of languages globally and to promote educational practices that honour every child’s mother tongue. Ensuring access to education in one’s native language is not only a matter of social justice but also fosters effective learning, deeper understanding and a stronger sense of identity and belonging.
Across nations, the significance of mother languages extends beyond culture, supporting more inclusive and equitable societies where every child can thrive in a linguistically just system.
The writer is a PhD student at Miami University, Ohio, conducting his research in an educational setting where students are denied their fundamental right to an education in their native language.
He can be reached at: [email protected]
