AS A self-respecting nation we were able to save our language through a bloody movement which is a unique example in the world and hence UNESCO's recognition of 21st February as International Mother Language Day. The spontaneity with which we celebrate the day shows our love for the country and our gratefulness to our language martyrs. However, we are again exposed to internal and external language predators. In every household we are watching Indian serials as our TV programmes fail to satiate our aesthetic thirsts. Our youths are using some sort of remix language: a hotchpotch of English, Bengali and Hindi.

No doubt, there is no alternative to leaning foreign languages, especially English, in this era of globalisation but it must not be at the cost of our mother tongue. It is heartening to know that the government has initiated digitalisation of Bengali language. What is most important now is to stop distortion of our beloved language. We must use refined Bengali in general communication outside home in the same way as we wear our best dress before going outside to work or social functions.  Dialogues in dramas and cinemas can be in local dialects but that should not be widespread. We must regain the past glory of our drama and cinema so that we can wean our people from the Indian serials and its culture, for that matter. We must thus keep the predatory elements at bay to save our hard-earned language from extinction before it is too late.   

Abdus Subhan

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