Friday, December 10, 2010

Promote Bangla



Bengali Speaking Region
Courtesy: Wikipedia
Bangla (En:Bengali, Bn:বাংলা), the language of nearly 300 million(as of the year 2008) people in the world and ranking at 6th position among the most spoken languages of the world. Bangla is native to the region of Bengal (comprising of West Bengal, parts of Assam and Tripura state of India and Bangladesh).


Now the question arises, “Do we need to promote Bangla?”.

The answer is undoubtedly “YES! “.

And that is the reason why there are the institutions like Bangla Academy (Bangladesh) and Paschimbanga Bangla Academy (West Bengal, India) are striving hard to promote Bangla.
Official logo of "Poschim Bongo Bangla Academy".


The need to promote Bangla arises from the following facts:

  1. Losing of the “Bengali Pride”
A large number of the new-generation Bengalis especially in West Bengal state feels ashamed of speaking in their mother tongue in public, business establishments like offices, shops etc.

  1. Lesser Affinity towards Bangla language.
The Bengali youth (new generation), is losing affinity towards Bangla. They are influenced by the Western Culture to a great extent. Most of them cannot read or write Bangla, though they can manage to speak. This is a major problem among Bengalis in India and abroad, though the situation is much better in Bangladesh.

  1. The invasion of “Hindi & English”
Undoubtedly the young Bengalis have greater affinity towards English and Hindustani language (Hindi and its various forms), be it in West Bengal or Bangladesh.

Hindustani being the major language of India has deeply penetrated in every nooks and corners of West Bengal. Moreover, as West Bengal shares borders with Hindustani (Hindi speaking) states of Bihar and Jharkhand, there is a large influx of Hindustanis in West Bengal. This has somehow changed the demographics of major cities like KolkataHowrah, and Siliguri etc.
In Bangladesh, till date exists a minority of Bihari population and the influence of Indian Hindi media and Bollywood has freshly introduced Hindustani language to the Bangladeshis.
                                 
What can be done?
There are various ways to promote Bangla. It needs support from the Government as well as the Common people.


We have to revive the “Bengali Pride”! Bengalis across the globe should take pride speaking in Bangla and “Being a Bengali”!

Rabindranath Tagore
রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর
Rebel Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam
কবি নজরুল ইসলাম
1.     Promotion has to start from the basic level i.e. the family. Regardless of the nation or state you are residing in, every Bengali parent should teach their children to read, write and fluently speak in Bangla, and they should encourage their children to get acquainted with the works of our Great writers/poets like Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833), Rabindranath Tagore(1861-1941), Kazi Nazrul Islam(1899-1976), and our modern day writers like Sharatchandra Chattopadhyay, Humayun Ahmed, Satyajit Roy, Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay, Md. Jaffar Iqbal, Taslima Nasreen, Sunil Gongopadhyay, Mrunal Chakraborty, Jahir Raihan, Jahanara Imam etc.

2.       The Government of West Bengal needs to take a major step towards promotion of Bangla in public life in the state.


·     An order should be passed to make all communications of Government Offices only in Bangla.


·     Govt. needs to be more enthusiastic in promotion of Bangla Literature, Bangla Theatre (Natok), Bangla Cinema etc. By conducting and promoting more number of book-fairs, socio-cultural events related to Bengali culture, in order to develop interests among the youth towards their culture and language.

·     Govt. needs to Open world class Bangla medium schools to impart education not just in Bangla but also to make the students well acquainted with the world language i.e. English.

·  Govt. should pass an order to put up name-plates / Sign-boards of all establishments (Shops, Buildings, Multiplexes etc.) compulsorily in Bangla and then it may be SUBTITLED in other Languages, Which means Bangla texts should appear clearly and boldly as the Major text on the name plate and in no way Bangla to be written in one corner just for the formality ! 

Generally when I’m in Bengal, I usually speak only in Bangla. Be it the Hindustani (Bihari) taxi driver, the Marwari Businessmen, North-Indian crowd- I use Bangla with everyone. "They won’t understand- so I shouldn’t speak in Bangla!"-this excuse or theory somehow doesn’t appeal to me. I feel, they do understand the language but its us, the Bengalis- who don’t give them the chance to understand or speak in Bangla!


Every language in this world has its own charm and beauty, but a language cannot be neglected in its own provinces, and thus Bangla should be given the first priority in Bengal rather than English, Hindi, Urdu. Bangla is the state language and should be respected.


Nandan | নন্দন
(Poschim Bongo Film Center)
Establishments in Kolkata Ignoring Bangla wherever possible!

If you are of the opinion that speaking in Bangla would hamper your reputation, it’s false! Instead people would look high upon you and respect you even more. If you don’t love yourself then you can''t expect others to love you, similarly if you don’t love your own language then how can others even think of loving your language, adopting your language and culture ? Think about it!

জয় বাংলা!

13 comments:

  1. Koyekta poin-e ami shohomot. Amader bangla bhashake promote korar dorkaar, nahole aar koyek decade-e amader eei sundor bhash hariye jabe. Baire theke lokjon jaara thakche banglai tader bangla jana uchit.

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  2. @ Indranil : Thanks for your view Indranil da :-)
    আপনার মত প্রকাশ করার জন্নে ধন্যবাদ :-)
    আমার মনে হয় প্রবাশি বাঙ্গালীদেরচে জারা বাংলাতে থাকে তারা বাংলা কে প্রাধান্য দায় না।
    The thing is , the Belgalis in Bengal underestimate Bangla ! They prefer english / hindi rather than Bangla. this mindset needs to be changed.

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  3. Darun probondho...lekhar pranjolota ebong gotimoyota nishshondehe proshongshoniyo.

    Tobe byaktigoto bhabe ami mone kori je bangali kokhono bangla bhulte pare na, bhole ni, bhulbeo na. ta na hole ato desh bhag ato danga hangamar poreo bangla bhasha prithibir shostho sorbochcho kothito bhashar swikriti peto na. Bangali jekhanei jak, tar bangaliyana tar modhye tike thakbe ajibon. hyan, e kotha obosyoi mene nebo je bangali jati hisebe ektu beshi rokom e ontormukhin ebong procharbimukh.
    Maharashtrer manush jokhon rastar majhkhane 'Jai Maharashthra' bole nirdwidhay jore chechiye uthte pare, aam bangali ta pare na.kintu tar mane sobsomoy ei noi je se nijer jati ar nijer oitijhyo ke niye mone mone kokhono gorbo bodh kore na. Ami mone kori, amra bangali ra nijer bhalolaga ba bhalobasa niye ato ta sochchar hote pochhondo kori na. Amader bhalobasar gane tai onek kotha thake onuchcharito, jake bujhe nite hoi...mukh fute bolar dorkar hoi na.

    Ar hyan,ajkal bangla bhashay onyo bhashar shobder oprotul byabohar er sombondhe bolbo, bhasha bodlay tar nijer niyome, somoyer sathe sathe. ajker bangla ar 'chorjapod' er juger bangla ak noi kono bhabei. matro 600 bochorer itihas, ete eshe misheche prochur hindi, urdu ar ingreji shobdo. bangla bhasha tader ke apon kore niyeche.

    Sei ak e bhabe, aj jesob hindi chhutko chhatka kotha, tukro shobdo, opobhrongsho protidin hajare hajare eshe bangla bhashay mishche, tara bangla bhashar somaptir suchona korbe na kono bhabei, borong tara amader ei priyo matribhasha ke korbe aro sompurno, aro rupomoy.


    Indranil - 'decade' er bodole 'doshok' shobdo ta byabohar korle bhalo lagto aro. :)
    Sojotne ingreji ba onyo bhashar shobdo porihar korar chesta korlam, ektu kobi kobi shunte lagche hoito, ta laguk...khoti ki! :)

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  4. @ Krishnashis :
    প্রথমে আমি আপনাকে ধন্যবাদ বলতে চাই।

    Apnar montobyo sathe amio ekmot, kintu amader onek bangalee bhai-bonera ache jara sompurno bhave Bangla bolte ba likhte pare na. oneke emon o ache jara Bangalee porichoy ke UJAGOR korte chai na, karon tara lojja paye- " Lojja pawar karon- se theek jana nai kintu "

    Ar haan, amra jokhon Maharashtre "Jai Maharashtra" bolte pari tahole Banglay gia "Joy Bangla" bolte Bhoy Kisher.. :-)

    Bangla bhashae amra jokhon kotha boli , amader mone rakhte hobe je amra ojotha "por bhasha" (jemon hindi ba English ba onno kono bhashar) er shobdo na boll-lei ba khoti ki.

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  5. BANGLAKE ARO UNNOTO KORAR JONNO DR.SHAHIDULLAH,DR, KAJI DIN MUHAMMAD, PRINCIPAL ABUL KSHEM , KOBI(POET)M.A.N SHAHIDULLAH SHOHOARO ONEKE BANGLA VASHA ADHUNIKOROKER O SHOHOJ BANGLAR JONNO ANDOLON SAHGRAM ABONG ONEK PUSTAK ROCHONA KORE GESEN.

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  6. indranil- "shohomot shobdo tar ortho ki? kohtoa peyechen naki baniyechen? naki besi besi hindi channel dekhar fol? ("সহমত" শব্দটার অর্থ কি? কোথাও পেয়েছেন নাকি বানিয়েছেন? নাকি বেশি বেশি হিন্দি চ্যানেল দেখার ফল?)

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  7. REPLY TO- Anonymous said... indranil- "shohomot shobdo tar ortho ki? kohtoa peyechen naki baniyechen? naki besi besi hindi channel dekhar fol? (" " ? ? ?) June 21, 2011 6:12 AM

    -> "SHOHOMOT" means "To share the same opinion" or to "agree upon"
    But i didn't understand the reason behind this question..:)

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  8. ekta bhalo prostaab.....ita ke aage niye jaba uchit.....

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  9. @Anshuman : Yes thanks for the approval, but our people of Bengal need to realize that.. Welcoming and loving other cultures is really a good aspect of our people but we shouldn't let them dominate and Deprive us of our rights in our own Land.

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  10. প্রথমেই আপনাকে এই সাইটে প্রদত্ত Bengali Speaking Region -এর মানচিত্রটিতে মাত্রাতিরিক্ত বানান ভুল সম্পর্কে অবহিত করাচ্ছি। আমার মনে হয় সম্ভবত টাইপিংয়ের দ্রুততার ফলেই এমন ত্রুটি ঘটে থাকবে। যাই হোক আপনার সাথে আমি অনেকাংশেই সহমত। সাউথ সিটি মলের ছবিটি বেশ চিত্তাকর্ষক। আমাদের এই দাবিতে অবশ্যই সরব হওয়া উচিত যে কেন পশ্চিমবঙ্গে অবস্থিত প্রত্যেকটি বিপণির নামফলক বাধ্যতামূলকভাবে বাংলায় লেখা হবে না। শুধু বিপণি নয়, সমস্ত প্রতিষ্ঠানকেই তাদের নামফলক বাংলায় লিখতেই হবে। এই বিষয়ে আন্দোলন সংগঠিত করা আমাদের আশু কর্তব্য।

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  11. @Bhargav : Thanks for noticing it friend, i'v corrected the mistakes in that picture.

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  12. Excellent
    Work…
    http://engineerjamal.blogspot.com/
    http://mobilesuggestion.blogspot.com/
    http://bloggerstipsseotricks.blogspot.com/
    http://picturemuseum.blogspot.com/

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  13. আপনার মত প্রকাশ করার জন্নে ধন্যবাদ :-) 

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