The Poem of the Month (February, 2009): EKUSHEY (21st) FEBRUARY

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The Ekushey (21st) February early morning scene at the Central Shaheed Minar (Language Martyrs' Memorial) in Dhaka in 1975. People with flowers, garlands, and wreaths are coming to pay their homage to the fallen martyrs who gave their lives on this day in 1952 in defending the dignity and status of Bangla (Bengali), their mother language

Photo (Dhaka: February 21, 1975) © Jerome D'Costa

Ekushey (21st) February

By Jerome D'Costa

The matrilingua, mother language, or mother tongue --

Whatever we call it, it is the language of our mother.

It is our language that we inherit from her since our birth.

It is so precious, so near and dear to us

That it's like an umbilical cord, a lifeline for us all.

It was in the late 40s and early 50s

When West Pakistani ruling coterie attempted to deprive the majority Bangalees

Of their legitimate right of using their mother language nationally.

Some so-called scholars, stooges of the ruling class,

Even proposed to introduce Arabic script to write Bangla!

How dare say!

There was no connection, no relation with the Urdu and Farsi,

The languages of the rulers.

They write theirs from the right, whereas Bangalees write from the left.

There's bound to be a clash -- a collision -- you know,

Which really happened on the 21st February 1952!

Shots were fired on protesting students and folks,

Several persons lost their lives,

Among them Salam, Jabbar, Barkat, Rafiq, and Safiur.

The blood of the language martyrs was the seed of the independence of Bangladesh.

The Shaheed Minar in their memory and honour,

Symbolizes their struggle, their sacrifice, and their death.

It reminded us of the importance of our rights and freedom, and more struggles ahead.

Ultimately, yes ultimately in late 1971, we could earn our independence because of them.