DU Correspondent

A day-long seminar on '75 years of language movement (1948-2023)' was held at the joint initiative of Dhaka University's Bangladesh Liberation War Research Center and Language Martyr Abul Barkat Memorial Museum and Collection.

The seminar was held at RC Mazumdar Arts Auditorium on Saturday.

Dhaka University Pro-Vice Chancellor (Admin) Professor Dr. Muhammad Samad inaugurated the seminar as the chief guest.

Director of Bangladesh Liberation War Research Center and Chairman of DU History Department Professor Dr. Abu Md. Honorary Professor of Development Studies Department and former Governor of Bangladesh Bank Professor Dr. Atiur Rahman presented the main article titled 'Language Movement and Development of Middle Class'.

The welcome speech was given by the professor of Linguistics Department. Syed Shahriar Rahman.

Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Prof. Dr. Muhammad Samad said, since the independence in 1947, the history of exploitation, oppression and deprivation was created in the then East Pakistan, the first impact of which was on language.

The reason why farmers-labourers and common people joined the language movement was material. Which is very simply the essay professor Dr. Presented by Atiur Rahman.

Professor Dr. Muhammad Samad mentioned the extraordinary contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the great language movement and said that Bangabandhu was the first political leader in the language movement to be arrested.

Bangabandhu encouraged and organized the student leaders to protest even though he was in jail. He called upon the new generation to know the true history and role of Bangabandhu in the language movement by reading objective books.

Former Governor of Bangladesh Bank Professor Dr. Atiur Rahman said in the original article, since the creation of Pakistan, the ruling group's apolitical politics, economic and cultural aggression and anti-people administration have been created.

As a result, the hope of the Bengali middle class was dashed, which later turned into a mass movement. This is how the context of the language movement is created.

A total of 15 papers were presented in 3 sessions of the day-long seminar.