According to ‘Ethno-Linguistic Survey of Bangladesh’, conducted by the International Mother Language Institute, there are 41 languages in Bangladesh including Bangla. Of them, 14 Rengmitcha, Kharia, Kondo, Koda, Soura, Mundari, Kole, Malto, Khumi, Pangkhua, Chak, Khyang, Lusai, and Laleng (Patro) - have been recognized as "endangered" - meaning that they are disappearing.
Mother language is not just some words and grammatical rules. It is the first lens through which we learn to perceive the world, the voice that channels our core emotions, and the rhythm that shapes our thoughts. It serves as the bridge between our hearts and the universe, the very thread that weaves our identity. The words we use, echo our ancestors’ wisdom, carry the weight of our culture, history, values, and beliefs. Through it, we dream, we love, we resist, we belong and we move forward.
On this International Mother Language Day, we urge the government to ensure primary education in the mother language for every ethnic community and take decisive measures to revive languages on the verge of extinction. We also urge the people, especially the young population, to learn and practice their mother languages properly with pride, to embrace their linguistic heritage, and to pass it on to future generations.
Because through our languages, our stories survive; through our mother tongues, we resist.
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