The people of ancient Bengal did not differ much from the present day people in their food habits, social rites, and rituals. Their main food at the time was rice, fish, meat, vegetables, fruit, milk, curd, butter, oil, and so on. Delicious food items were served on the occasion of festivals.
Different kinds of homemade cakes and sweet rolls were also prepared. Water was made fragrant by mixing camphor in it, and spiced betel leaves were served after meals. The common dress for men at that time was the dhoti and women generally wore sari. The people of East Bengal used to feast on hilsa.
The language of the original inhabitants of Bengal was Austric. This language gradually faded away after the coming of the Aryans. The name of the language of the Aryans was Vedic language. The scholars turned the Vedic language into a language of literature. As the old language was reformed, this new language was named as the Sanskrit language from which the Bengali language originated.
The modern scholars, however, have not accepted this view. In the ancient time, the common people did not use this language, instead using a language called “Prakrita Bhasha.” As time passed, changes began to come over the language. It gained excellence and quality through the writing of books. Two languages were born from it -- “Pali” and “Apabhransha.” The language of the common people, however, remained as Prakrita.
The Sanskrit language has been used most in Bengal during the reigns of the Pala and the Sena dynasties. As a result, Bengali language did not develop much during that time. The cultivation of the Bengali language increased later, during the Medieval Age.
In Karachi, representatives of East Bengal attending a Pakistani educational conference opposed Urdu as the only national language. The demand for Bengali as one of the state languages gathered the spontaneous support of the Bengali civil servants, academics, students, and various groups of people. Several members of the provincial assembly, including some ministers, were reportedly active in supporting the movement.
By the end of February 1948, the controversy had spilled over onto the streets. The East Pakistan student league, founded in the first week of January led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was at the forefront.
The government shortly imposed Section 144 on February 20, prohibiting any gathering or assembly. Students gathered at the premises of the Medical College Hostel to protest, and at one point the police opened fire on the students. The bullets took many young lives, making a sacrifice of Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Shafiq, Jabbar, and others.
In protest of the shootings, a strike was observed all over the country on February 22. There was more shooting that day at a demonstration near the High Court, and more protesters killed and injured. Many more were arrested, while the military was deployed in different parts of the city.
The actions on February 21, 1952, proved that a nation could not silence a brave civilized nation if they had a unifying language like Bangla. This movement ultimately ended in the adoption of Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan in 1956. In line with the spirit of the Language Movement, Bangladesh achieved its long cherished freedom through a nine-month long armed struggle under the charismatic leadership of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Hence, in the life of every Bengali, February 21 is a day of grief, strength, glory, words, and silence.
Taslim Ahammad is an Assistant Professor, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University (BSMRSTU), Gopalganj, Bangladesh.