Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Ekushey February and the Catholic Monthly 'Pratibeshi'



(L-R): A sample cover of the monthly Pratibeshi (December, 1949)
and Father Jacob Mongla Dessai, its Managing Editor


Photos Courtesy: The Pratibeshi

Layout by Joachim Romeo D'Costa

We have already said in our write-ups on the Ekushey February how the Bangla language movement started and how it came to a head on Ekushey (21st) February of 1952. The government of East Pakistan, headed by Chief Minister Nurul Amin, at the instruction of the West Pakistani ruling elite, was out there on the streets of Dhaka in force to suppress the activists of the Bangla language movement.

So, on February 21, 1952, when the University of Dhaka students along with members of the general public began to defy the ban on processions and gatherings, the armed police fired upon them. On this day, three students got killed and many were wounded. Numerous other students willingly let the police arrest them. In protest to this killing and wounding of many, February 22 was declared a hartal (all-out strike) day all over East Pakistan.

In response to this call as well as lending their support to the cause, offices and shops remained closed and there was no movement of vehicles on the streets. On reading the Morning News of February 22, some students and people got so enraged at the biased news of the previous day's killing that they attacked the Jubilee Press, from where this daily was printed and set it on fire. Printing machines and the type-setting section along with the manuscripts were severely damaged in the fire. The police again resorted to firing on the enraged crowd, killing at least two persons and wounding others.

The Monthly Pratibeshi on the Ekushey February

The Bengali section of the Jubilee Press used to print the Pratibeshi (neighbour), the monthly mouthpiece of the Catholic Archdiocese of Dhaka on contract basis. All its hand-composed types and manuscripts were also destroyed in the fire. In spite of its losses, this monthly paid a tribute to the language martyrs and supported the language movement.

Father Jacob Mongla Dessai, a Bangali (Bengali) priest, was the editor-in-charge of the Pratibeshi at the time. Dealing with the February 21 events, the monthly in its March 1952 issue mentioned: "Getting the education in one's mother language and giving recognition to the peoples' tongue as the state language are integral to freedom. To snatch away the people's tongue and keeping it repressed is tantamount to doing away with the freedom of the people. A thinking and living nation can never let it happen. The struggle of the students of East Pakistan for making Bangla the state language will remain as a glorious history."

Father Dessai in the editorial wrote: "On February 22, Friday, our printing press -- the Jubilee Press -- has been burnt down as a result of the Dhaka students' rage. All the materials of the Pratibeshi were also destroyed in this fire. As a result, it has taken a very simple presentation. No one should think that the students' rage fell on our innocent monthly Pratibeshi. Their rage was against the Morning News daily that was printed in the Jubilee Press. The news it published on the previous day's events was against the interest of the students. As a result, there was the fire. In this fire, all composed matters of the Pratibeshi and its manuscripts for the March issue have been destroyed. We regret that we have to deprive our readers of reading the remaining portions of the "to be continued" articles of the last issue. For these very reasons, we got delayed in publishing this issue. In spite of its poor presentation, the Pratibeshi deeply sympathizes with the dead, wounded and imprisoned and their bereaved families. Our Pratibeshi's mother tongue is Bangla and its only pride is also Bangla. Those who sacrificed themselves for this language will automatically receive our sympathy...."

It is noteworthy that, at this critical juncture, when most of the large newspapers failed to play a courageous role, the Pratibeshi, by lending its all-out support to the Bangla language, left an important contribution in the national life of the Bangalis.

Source: Bangladeshey Catholic Mondoli (The Catholic Church in Bangladesh) by Jerome D'Costa (Dhaka: Pratibeshi Prakashani, 1988), pp.213-216.


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3 comments:

  1. Dear Mr. Jerome Costa,
    Hearty greetings.
    I am Sumon Corraya, Sub-Editor of the Weekly pratibeshi. I am studying Bangladesh Catholic mondoli. Really it is a best historical Book. I was searching you. A few day's ago your wife came to pratibeshi office and i meet with her. She give me your Address. Rock Rozario is my Friend. He and i talk about you. I want to be a Journalist like you. Please me suggestion.
    My English is poor. Please don't mind for mistake.

    Thanks

    Sumon Corraya
    The Weekly Pratibeshi
    Luxmibazar, Dhaka
    Email : Scorraya@gmail.com
    sumoncorraya@yahoo.com
    mob.01719318722

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for your compliments. Journalism is not only a career but also a dedicated service to the society. It's good to know that you are working in the Pratibeshi weekly where I was involved in late 70's and early 80's. Read with attention what and how good journalists in Dhaka and outside Bangladesh write and write regularly in your weekly and other papers in Dhaka. To improve on your English, you need to read English newspapers, magazines and novels and practise writing. In short, a lot of reading and writing makes a good writer or journalist.

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  3. Dear Jeromeda,
    Best regards. I try to go through your site when get time. Really you started with a wider field from Canada. May be one day other people would use your site for their reseach, study etc. I personally think always you give time in this field. And you are studying many sources. I appreciate you for your commitment and performance. Also pray for you. May God use you for His mission.

    Thanking you.

    Christopher Purification, UK.

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