James Kon
Bangladesh High Commission in Brunei Darussalam observed the Bangladeshi Language Martyrs’ Day as well as the International Mother Language Day on Monday with a virtual and physical event at the Bangladesh Chancery.
The event was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports’ Language and Literature Bureau, the Ministry of Education (MoE), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Permanent Secretary (Core Education) at the MoE Dr Shamsiah Zuraini Kanchanawati binti Haji Tajuddin, was the guest of honour.
The programme started with positioning the Bangladeshi flag at half-mast and then continued with observing one minute silence, placing floral wreath at the Shaheed Minar located in the chancery premises.
This proceeded with reading out of the messages from the Bangladeshi President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Nahida Rahman Shumona said the contribution of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the language movement of 1952 eventually led to the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.
She explained how the language movement in 1952 served as the foundational ideas and inspiration on which the recognition of February 21 as the International Mother Language Day is based.
She also referred to the theme of the 2022 International Mother Language Day fixed by UNESCO as “Using Technology for Multilingual Learning: Challenges and opportunities’.
She also touched on the need to accept cultural and linguistic diversity in the era of globalisation while acknowledging the necessity of preserving one’s own mother language.
The online virtual event was chaired by the Bangladeshi High Commissioner, with representativesfrom higher learning institutions and training centres. The online programme featured music, performances and reading of books and poetry.
