Another Call for Designating February As the 'Bangladesh Heritage Month'

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A poster on "Make February the 'Bangladesh Heritage Month'"
Layout & design (Toronto: January 31, 2010) © Jerome D'Costa

Two years ago on February 3, I had proposed to the Government of Bangladesh that the month of February be designated as the 'Bangladesh Heritage Month.' We are making another call this year for the same purpose. We draw the attention of the Government of Bangladesh in general and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs in particular to be proactive in realizing this vision. We also give a clarion call to the intellectuals and cultural stalwarts in Bangladesh to lend their weighty support to the government regarding this matter.

We suggest this month as 'Bangladesh Heritage Month' so that all the peoples' groups (Bangalees and other ethnic groups), all the religious communities (Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and animists), and all the language groups are encompassed in it.

The month of February is the most appropriate month for this purpose. This heritage month will serve as an awareness building and educative month about our heritage as well as an opportunity for displaying our heritage in its myriad forms. At this particular time, this is very much needed when we are being deluged by foreign cultures through the TV, Internet, movies and the like. First, we need to be rooted firmly in our own heritage and then only can we be enriched with other cultures.

In fine, we repeat our call for designating February as the 'Bangladesh Heritage Month.'