Last update on: Fri Feb 21, 2025 09:00 AM
After championing International Mother Language Day to become recognised by the United Nations 25 years ago, Bangladesh became known globally as a land of many languages. The foundation of this movement was the demand for official recognition of mother tongues, including Bangla. This 25th jubilee year reaffirms the importance of linguistic diversity and multilingualism in fostering dignity, peace, and understanding.
Currently, Bangladesh officially recognises 50 Indigenous communities, each with its own linguistic heritage, collectively speaking approximately 41 native languages. These languages belong to four distinct language families. According to the International Mother Language Institute (IMLI), a Category II institute of UNESCO, around 15 languages in Bangladesh face the threat of extinction. Among them, Rengmitcha language is notable—only seven people currently speak this language. International Mother Language Day is an opportunity for us to reflect on and propose actions to address situations such as this.
Evidence suggests that mother tongue education supports cognitive development, improves communication skills, and improves educational performance. According to Chakma Jati (Jatiya Chitra O Itibritta) by Satish Chandra Gosh, education in the Chakma and Marma languages was introduced in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in 1862, but was later discontinued. Despite several attempts over the years to revive language education programmes, they have all been short-lived.
The 1997 CHT Peace Accord reaffirmed the right of Indigenous children to receive education in their mother tongue. In 2012, the government took steps to introduce Indigenous language education under the National Education Policy. Since 2017, learning materials in Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Garo, and Sadri languages have been introduced at the primary level. However, the initiative has faced serious roadblocks due to lack of trained teachers, inadequate evaluation of teaching materials, budget constraints, a shortage of language-based teachers, and the inactivity of committees formed to implement education in Indigenous communities. As a result, the programme has not progressed as expected.
It is crucial to take effective measures for the revival, development, and preservation of Indigenous languages. This includes effective implementation of primary education programmes in Indigenous languages, formulation of a national language policy, introduction of departments or institutes on Indigenous language and culture in universities, promotion of mother tongue practice among the youth, initiatives for language development through information technology, and establishment of Indigenous language cells in government institutions such as Bangla Academy, IMLI, and the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB).
The use of technology is one way that we can work to support these efforts. This year’s theme for International Mother Language Day makes it an important time to consider how to tackle the issues above using technology. A cheaper and more accessible way to provide language instruction could be using internet-based language modules. These are already in widespread use on commercial platforms.
Artificial intelligence is at the forefront of many current discussions on education, and is a tool that could be utilised to address barriers such as teacher shortage. More sophisticated tech solutions, including development of content in Indigenous languages, have also been proposed. But as we lack content in these languages, these are not quite within our grasp.
Technology also offers many opportunities for documentation and preservation. As several of Bangladesh’s Indigenous languages are critically endangered, ensuring that we act now is important. Collecting recordings and partnering with tech companies that can provide tools to develop orthographies and transcribe these into written content could help preserve these languages.
No language should be allowed to become extinct. Language is central to our identity and part of our culture, and therefore central to social and emotional well-being. To preserve endangered languages, long-term planning and collective efforts are essential. When a language dies, we lose invaluable treasures of its environment, culture, and history.
Mathura Bikash Tripura is executive director at Zabarang Kalyan Samity and national awardee of the International Mother Language Award 2021.
Dr Susan Vize is head of office and UNESCO representative to Bangladesh.
Views expressed in this article are the author’s own.
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