The International Mother Language Institute was launched 12 years ago with a noble initiative in mind – to conduct in-depth research on language and the historic Language Movement of 1952 and disseminate its information beyond borders.
However, the institute has yet to find its footing with only one notable research, a demographic survey of languages in Bangladesh, which has also been at a standstill for the last four years.
The only government institution responsible for the preservation of languages, this institute has failed to make any visible progress to fulfil its objective; except for some menial activities such as arranging seminars, publishing annual reports, newsletters, journals, and memoranda.
Its officials have blamed administrative shortcomings, absence of proper research guidelines, and lack of funds for this stagnation.
Only one research volume in a decade
In 2015, a 40-member committee of anthropologists and linguists launched a mammoth survey on the ethnic languages of Bangladesh. The committee submitted a report in 2016 and made further additions in 2018.
In 2019, the first volume of the survey was made available to the public with two more volumes said to be in progress. However, it never came to a reality.
Sangita Rudra, an assistant director (publication) of the IMLI, said that the process of printing two more volumes was expected to start after March 26 this year.
No other research work on the Language Movement is being conducted right now, according to the official.
Time running out
IMLI Director (Language, Research, and Planning) Prof Md Safiul Muz Nabeen said that no research on the Language Movement of 1952 had been conducted under their initiative due to some administrative shortcomings.
Researcher Dr Afsan Chowdhury said: “If one sees the Liberation War from the cultural perspective, it was started from the Language Movement.”
In 2016, Language Movement researcher and Jatiya Mukti Council chief Badruddin Umar said that the history of the Language Movement got less attention in the country, and so, the nation may not be able to preserve details of the great movement that paved the path to freedom.
Prof Muntassir Mamoon told Dhaka Tribune in 2019 that the research on Liberation War was much less than it should be, and that the research on the Language Movement was even fewer.
“The worst part is that after almost 70 years, very few eyewitnesses of that time are alive now, and an immediate initiative is required to take on the remaining opportunities,” he added.
Badruddin Umar said that the lack of research on the Language Movement facilitated many to glorify their role during the movement.
It would demean the spirit of the day and would mislead the nation in the future, he feared.
Budget allocation
IMLI Director Prof Safiul said that the reason behind the stagnation of research could be attributed to a deficiency in the allocation of funds.
On the other hand, the institute also struggles to prepare budget for a specific research as no clear strategies have been implemented in all these years.
Wait for a guideline
The IMLI officials believe the formulation of a full guideline is on the cards.
Prof Safiul is hoping for a positive change in April. Once the guideline gets approval by the Finance Division, all the complications would end.
According to IMLI officials, the process of formulating the guideline began years ago with Prof Safiul working on it from 2020.
“I sent the guideline for approval several times. It got the nod from the Education Ministry last year. The guideline was finally sent to the Finance Division in October last year,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
“To disseminate information about the Language Movement, it is a must that they are accurate. The Language Movement is one of the major focuses of the institution and we are expecting to facilitate all sorts of research in the coming months,” Prof Safiul said.
The IMLI wants to attract researchers from home and abroad, and so the guideline suggests a convenient structure for students and professionals to be involved in the process.
Students of MPhil and PhD, and professors, and freelance researchers would get funds for research, he added.
“Once the guideline is approved, the process of publishing demographic language research volumes and research on the Language Movement will gain the much-needed boost it deserves,” the IMLI director said.