The alphabets of the languages of ethnic minorities in Moulvibazar district of Sylhet have started to go extinct.
The lack of their use and the domination of English and Bangla in primary education are the primary reasons behind this.
Thousands of ethnic minority communities live in the: Lawachara Punji, Magurchara Punji, Dalubari, Kalenji Punji, Aliachara Punji, Nirala Punji, Doublechara Punji, Maraichara Punji, Madhabkunda Punji, and Kailan Punji of Moulvibazar.
However, if their alphabets were to be integrated into the pre-primary education of ethnic minority peoples, and if they were to be used in technological applications, they could still be preserved, experts think.
Government patronage needed to preserve indigenous languages
A teacher at Kalenji Punji Children's Education Centre in Kamalganj upazila, Gem Khasia, said: "All the ethnic communities have their own languages.
"Every citizen has the right to practice their own mother language; however, these languages are on the brink of extinction due to the widespread use of Bangla, and the lack of initiatives to preserve these languages," Gem said.
Several college-going students from the Kalenji Punji communities said although they can speak their ethnic languages, they are not adept at writing them as they have been learning Bangla since childhood.
Magurchara Punji Primary School has 30 students from the first to fourth grade. When this correspondent went to visit the school, Antara Bhattacharya—the only teacher responsible for these 30 students—said she had not been able to procure any books in the language of the ethnic minority students.
"I teach lessons for 16-17 days in the school," Antara said. "Although the students can speak their languages, they cannot write or read them."
Students of the school said as they have never had any alphabet books in their languages while growing up, and they do not know how to write in their languages.
Most of the children of the 80 families in Magurchara Punji go to the primary school.
There are 13 ethnic groups in Sylhet including: Khasia, Garo, Tripura, Munda, Santal, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Maiti Manipuri, and others.
Aside from these communities, there are Telegu, Rabidas, Kairi, and a few others in the tea gardens. Most of them live in the foothills, hills, jungle areas, or on plain land of Sylhet.
Despite their contribution to the society through the tea industry, these people lack: education, healthcare, land rights; and concurrently the preservation of their mother languages.
Domin Khasia from the Khasia community told this correspondent: "Our language, practiced from the time of our forefathers, is only confined to our community.
"We do not have books in the Khasia language, and we do not know the source of it," Domin said. "To maintain the honour that the world bestowed upon us by recognizing February 21 as the International Mother Language Day, we need to preserve and save the alphabets and texts of the native languages."
Saju Machhiyang from Lawachara Punji said there are 11 schools among the Sylhet punjis. Some of these schools are trying to keep the practice of using their own languages by introducing the Khasia language in self-financed schools. "Missionary schools still keep up this practice."
Headman of Lawachara Khasia Punji Phila Patni said: "Except from two government primary schools in Aliachara and Jaflong in Habiganj, the 70-74 Khasia punjis in Sylhet do not have any government schools.
"Khasias finance a few community schools, where they practice their own language," she said.
She added: "At the same time, if the indigenous alphabets are added to primary education and technology, then it will be possible to save these languages."
Tea labourer Sitaram Bin said most of the people in the tea gardens speak in Bangla. "The use of native languages has decreased. We need patronage from the government to preserve our mother languages."
Founder of Maharaj Gambhir Sing Memorial and Research Centre in Kamalganj, Falguni Singh said: "The Manipuri community, alongside other indigenous communities, are on the way to losing their native languages due to the lack of government-sponsored schools and language institutions."
Writer and researcher Ahmed Siraj from Kamalganj said: "Moulvibazar has a balanced population of Bangla-speaking and indigenous language-speaking people. After February 21 was declared as International Mother Language Day, the ethnic people have increased their responsibilities towards preserving their languages.
"Without an institutional or academic system, the indigenous people are losing their culture and norms. If the government does not take this matter under its patronage, they [the indigenous peoples] will soon lose all traces of their culture," Siraj said.
