Ekush teaches us not to bow down

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus yesterday said the Language Movement was pivotal in the nation’s liberation struggle, as it laid the foundation for a non-communal, democratic, and language-based state system.

“Although the ‘Rashtrabhasha Bangla’ movement was initiated to protect the dignity of the mother tongue of Bangalees, its main spirit was independence. It was a movement for the political, economic and cultural liberation of Bengal. So for Bangalees, Ekush means a firm determination to not bow down,” he said.

He made the remarks while inaugurating a four-day programme marking Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day 2025 at the International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka.

Serajul Islam Choudhury, professor emeritus at Dhaka University, presided over the event.

Yunus said the day — February 21, 1952 — is an inspiration and a mantra to stand against all kinds of injustice and conspiracies.

“We had to sacrifice a lot to recognise Bangla as the state language. It’s unprecedented in world history for people to sacrifice their lives for their mother tongue,” he said.

“The foundation stone of the International Mother Language Institute was laid in Dhaka on March 15, 2001, to protect the spirit and dignity of the mother tongues of all ethnic groups, regardless of race and religion,” he said.

Yunus also discussed the impact of technology on language dominance.

“With the technological advancement of a country, comes the dominance of its language. When Russia launched Sputnik, the world rushed to learn Russian. Similarly, as China advanced, the world started learning Chinese. The leading country’s language will naturally gain global influence.”

“The world will not be interested in the language of a country that has nothing to offer,” he added.

“If a nation can lead in any aspect, people’s interest in that country’s language will increase — no matter how complex that language is,” said the chief adviser, adding that a nation’s advancement in literature, technology, and science are key to attracting interest in its language.

Yunus also emphasised the importance of preserving all mother languages.

“On Mother Language Day, we have pledged to preserve all mother languages. There are emotional reasons, but there are also reasons of great interest. Now, we do not know which unknown, nameless mother language will completely change the world. If we ignore any possibility, we will make a big mistake,” he said.

He wished the International Mother Language Institute all the success. He also congratulated the recipients of the medals and awardees in the Olympiad held to mark the occasion.