UditVani, Jamshedpur : On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, observed globally on February 21, the Jharkhand Bangabhashi Samanvay Samiti has announced a grand programme to be held on February 22, to reaffirm its commitment to the protection and promotion of mother tongues.
Marking 25 years of its establishment, the committee plans to celebrate the day on a larger scale this year.
The organisation reiterated its long-standing movement to safeguard linguistic rights, particularly for Bengali-speaking communities in Jharkhand.
Referring to the language policy guidelines issued by the Government of India in 2024, which emphasised the importance of imparting education in regional languages, the committee alleged that despite these directions, several Bengali-medium schools in Jharkhand are being converted into Hindi and English-medium institutions.
According to the Samiti, this has deprived many students of the opportunity to receive education in their mother tongue and has placed Bengali and other regional languages under threat.
As part of the February 22 programme, a special lecture will be delivered on the contribution of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar to the development of the Bengali language.
The keynote speaker will be Biman Bose, Chairman of the Left Front in West Bengal and a noted admirer of Vidyasagar.
The event will also witness participation from representatives of various linguistic communities, who will raise their voices in support of preserving their respective mother tongues.
A cultural segment will feature a musical performance by Chandana Chowdhury and her team from The Tagore School of Arts.
Speaking at a press conference, committee president Bikash Mukherjee, general secretary Sandeep Sinha Chowdhury, and several other members appealed to language enthusiasts to participate in large numbers and strengthen the movement for mother tongue preservation.
