Dhaka, Feb 18 (BDNEWS) – Communications Minister Barrister Nazmul Huda urged the government to observe Falgun 8 as the Mother Language Day.
The minister said this at a press conference at the National Press Club organised by the 'Falgun Charcha', a mother language-based organisation founded by the minister himself sometime last year.
The minister said Falgun 8, no matter whichever the date of February it is, would be observed as the Mother Language Day from now on alongside 21st February with the same importance and respect.
"We cannot let the month and date (Falgun 8) into the abyss of forgotten memory which is specially dedicated to the Language Movement", he said, adding, "We want to intensify the Bangla practice more and more, and thus uniting all Bangalees of the world with a view to establishing it as an international language."
Among others, Gias Kamal Chowdhury, president of a faction of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), renowned lyricist Gazi Mazharul Anwar and secretary general of the Zia Samajik Sangskritik Sangathan Abul Hashem Rana were present at the press conference.
The minister urged all Bangalees around the globe to uphold the demand of declaring the Bangla Language as the international language as in almost every country throughout the world Bangla is pronounced.
When asked by journalists whether February 21 and Falgun 8 will be observed as the Mother Language Days simultaneously, the minister said, "February 21 is now a International Mother Language Day while we are focusing on Falgun 8 to be observed as the Mother Language Day."
Huda informed the journalists that Gazi Mazharul Anwar has already written the song for the Falgun 8. When requested by journalists he himself sang first few lines of the song at the conference.
The Falgun Charcha will hold a walkathon at 11 am on Falgun 8 from the national press club to the central Shaheed Minar to press home the demands of the organisation.
BDNEWS/1807 hrs
