Editing Bengali language movement (section)

==Events of 1952==
[[Image:4th Feb 1952 NobabPureRoad.jpg|thumb|Procession march held on 4 February 1952 at Nawabpur Road, Dhaka.]]
[[Image:1952 Bengali Language movement.jpg|thumb|Procession march held on 21 February 1952 in [[Dhaka]]]]
The Urdu-Bengali controversy was reignited when Liaqat Ali Khan's successor, Prime Minister [[Khawaja Nazimuddin]], staunchly defended the "Urdu-only" policy in a speech on 27 January 1952.<ref name="helal263" /> On 31 January, the ''[[Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha Kormi Porishod]]'' (All-Party Central Language Action Committee) was formed in a meeting at the Bar Library Hall of the University of Dhaka, chaired by [[Maulana Bhashani]].<ref name="Banglapedia" /><ref>{{Harvnb|Umar|2004|pp=192–193}}</ref> The central government's proposal of writing the Bengali language in [[Arabic script]] by Pakistan's Bengali education minister [[Fazlur Rahman (politician)|Fazlur Rahman]] was vehemently opposed at the meeting. The action committee called for an all out protest on 21 February, including strikes and rallies.<ref name="helal263" /> In an attempt to prevent the demonstration, the government imposed [[Section 144]] in Dhaka, thereby banning any gathering.<ref name="Banglapedia"/>

According to the earlier decision, students of Dhaka University and other educational institutions gathered at Dhaka University premises on February 4.  The rally protested the proposal to write Bengali in Arabic script and demanded Bengali as the state language.  The students took out a huge demonstration after their assembly.<ref>{{full citation needed|date=January 2023}} [[Daily Azad]], February 5, 1952, p 3</ref><!-- this is not a citation; Daily Azad is the publisher, this lacks an article title -->

On February 11, 1952, a long circular (No. 10) titled 'Rashtra Bhashar Andolan' was promoted to the Secretariat of the Bengali Provincial Organizing Committee before the [[Communist Party of Pakistan]]'. In this circular, the Communist Party's statement, line, and organizational duties regarding the language movement are clearly indicated.<ref>পূর্ব বাংলার ভাষা আন্দোলন ও তৎকালীন রাজনীতি, (East Bengal language movement and contemporary politics) Volume III, Badruddin Umar, 1972, page 243</ref>

In accordance with the principles and lines of the State Language Movement laid down in Party Circular No. 10 of the East Bengal Organizing Committee of the [[Communist Party of Pakistan]] dated February 11, they circulated a cyclostyled manifesto on February 20, which read, "Respond to the call of the All-Union State Language Working Committee. Do strike, hartal, meeting and march across the province on 21st February to demand Bengali as one of the national languages with equal status for all languages."  This brief manifesto calls for, "English shall no longer be the official language;  Want equality of all languages of Pakistan;  [[Bengali language|Bengali]]s, [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]s, [[Pathan]]s, [[Sindhis]], [[Baloch people|Baloch]]s, [[Urdu]] speakers etc. have to be given the right to get education in their own mother tongue and conduct government affairs;  We want to make Bengali language one of the national languages.  Instead of English, Urdu, Bengali - the movement to give equal status to all languages in the state.  English made English as the state language in order to continue the imperialist and feudal system of exploitation while keeping the various linguistic communities of Pak-India backward.  The League government also adopted English as the state language for the same purpose;  has kept and wants to make the only child the state language.  Making one language the state language will leave the various linguistic communities of Pakistan backward and will hinder the overall development of Pakistan.  Therefore, all the Bengali, Punjabi, Pathan, Siddhi, Belche, Urdu speaking nations of Pakistan should come together in the movement to give equal status to the different languages of Pakistan and make them the state language."<ref>পূর্ব বাংলার ভাষা আন্দোলন ও তৎকালীন রাজনীতি, (East Bengal language movement and contemporary politics) Volume III, Badruddin Umar, 1972, page 251-252</ref>

===21 February===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Meeting at Amtala on Ekushey February.JPG|thumb|Meeting on the University of Dhaka premises on 21 February 1952]] -->
At nine o'clock in the morning, students began gathering on the University of Dhaka premises in defiance of Section 144. The university vice-chancellor and other officials were present as armed police surrounded the campus. By a quarter past eleven, students gathered at the university gate and attempted to break the police line. Police fired [[tear gas]] shells towards the gate to warn the students.<ref name="Banglapedia" /> A section of students ran into the Dhaka Medical College while others rallied towards the university premises cordoned by the police. The vice-chancellor asked police to stop firing and ordered the students to leave the area. However, the police arrested several students for violating section 144 as they attempted to leave. Enraged by the arrests, the students met around the [[East Bengal Legislative Assembly]] and blocked the legislators' way, asking them to present their insistence at the assembly. When a group of students sought to storm into the building, police opened fire and killed a number of students, including [[Abdus Salam (language martyr)|Abdus Salam]], [[Rafiq Uddin Ahmed]], [[Sofiur Rahman|Shafiur Rahman]], [[Abul Barkat]] and [[Abdul Jabbar (activist)|Abdul Jabbar]].<ref name="Banglapedia" /><ref>{{cite news
 | title =Dhaka Medical College Hostel Prangone Chatro Shomabesher Upor Policer Guliborshon. Bishwabidyalayer Tinjon Chatroshoho Char Bekti Nihoto O Shotero Bekti Ahoto
 | language =bn
 | work =The Azad
 | date =22 February 1952
 }}</ref> The Government reported that 29 people died in that day.<ref>{{cite news|title=RED DANGER SEEN IN EAST PAKISTAN: Bengal Premier Foresees New Trouble, Though Recent Outbreaks Were Curbed|first=Michael|last=James|date=11 March 1952|newspaper=New York Times}} {{ProQuest|112392067}}</ref> As the news of the killings spread, disorder erupted across the city. Shops, offices and public transport were shut down and a general strike began.<ref name="UStudies" /> At the assembly, six legislators including [[Manoranjan Dhar]], Boshontokumar Das, Shamsuddin Ahmed and [[Dhirendranath Datta]] requested that chief minister [[Nurul Amin]] visit wounded students in hospital and that the assembly be adjourned as a sign of mourning.<ref name="bashir377393">{{Harvnb|Al Helal|2003|pp=377–393}}</ref> This motion was supported by some treasury bench members including [[Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish]], Shorfuddin Ahmed, Shamsuddin Ahmed Khondokar and Mosihuddin Ahmed.<ref name="bashir377393" /> However, Nurul Amin refused the requests.<ref name="Banglapedia" /><ref name="bashir377393" />

On the same day, the East Bengal Organizing Committee of the [[East Pakistan Communist Party (Marxist–Leninist)|East Pakistan Communist Party]] circulated a cyclostyled manifesto entitled "To build a united East Bengal Tumdal United Movement against the barbaric killings of the tyrant [[Amin ministry|Nurul Amin government]]", calling on all institutions and the multi-lingual public of Pakistan, regardless of party affiliation.  Support is invited for the following demands:
* Leaving chair by Nazim Nurul Amin Sarkar 
* Want to make Bengali one of the national languages immediately
* We want the punishment of the killer, we want a private commission of inquiry, we want full compensation for the dead and injured.
* Seek immediate release of all political prisoners,
* Demand withdrawal of Security Act, Section 144 and all repressive laws.<ref>পূর্ব বাংলার ভাষা আন্দোলন ও তৎকালীন রাজনীতি, (East Bengal language movement and contemporary politics) Volume III, Badruddin Umar, 1972, page 316-317</ref>

===22 February===
Disorder spread across the province as large processions ignored [[section 144]] and condemned the actions of the police.<ref name="helal263" /> More than 30,000 people congregated at Curzon Hall in Dhaka. During the continued protests, police actions led to the death of four more people. This prompted officers and clerks from different organisations, including colleges, banks and the radio station, to boycott offices and join the procession.<ref name="UStudies" /> Protesters burned the offices of two leading pro-government news agencies, the ''Jubilee Press'' and the ''Morning News''.<ref>{{cite news
 | title =Banglake Pakistaner Onnotomo Rashtrabhasa Korar Jonno Purbobongo Babostha Porishoder Shoparesh. Shukrobar Shohorer Obosthar Aaro Obonoti: Shorkar Kortrik Shamorik Bahini Tolob. Police O Shenader Gulite Charjon Nihoto O Shotadhik Ahoto: Shatghontar Jonno Curfew Jari. Shohidder Smritir Proti Sroddha Gyaponarthay Shotosfurto Hartal Palan
 | language =bn
 | work =The Azad
 | date =23 February 1952}}</ref> Police fired on a major ''janaza'', or mourning rally, as it was passing through [[Nawabpur Road]]. The shooting killed several people including activist [[Sofiur Rahman]] and a nine-year-old boy named Ohiullah.<ref name="Banglapedia" /><ref>{{Harvnb|Al Helal|2003|p=483}}</ref>

===Continued unrest===
[[Image:22 Feb 1952 DURoad.jpg|thumb|22 February rally after ''[[Islamic funeral|janaja]]'' at Dhaka Medical College on the University Dhaka road, Dhaka.]]
Through the night of 23 February, students of Dhaka Medical College worked on the construction of a ''Shaheed Smritistombho'', or Monument of Martyrs. Completed at dawn on 24 February, the monument had a handwritten note attached to it with the words ''"Shaheed Smritistombho"''.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/its-true-3041 |title=Its True! |date=21 February 2015 |work=The Daily Star |access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref> Inaugurated by the father of the slain activist Sofiur Rahman, the monument was destroyed on 26 February by police.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Shaheed_Minar |title=Shaheed Minar |last=Rafique |first=Ahmed |website=Banglapedia |access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref> On 25 February, industrial workers in the town of [[Narayanganj]] observed a general strike.<ref>{{Harvnb|Umar|2004|p=218}}</ref> A protest followed on 29 February whose participants faced severe police beating.<ref name="umarnarayan">{{Harvnb|Umar|1979|pp=417–418}}</ref>

The government censored news reports and withheld exact casualty figures during the protests. Most pro-government media held [[Hindus]] and [[East Pakistan Communist Party (Marxist–Leninist)|communists]] responsible for encouraging the disorder and student unrest.<ref>{{Harvnb|Al Helal|2003|pp=515–523}}</ref> The families of Abul Barkat and Rafiq Uddin Ahmed tried to charge the police with murder, but the charges were dismissed by the police. On 8 April government report on the incidents failed to show any particular justification for police firings on the students.<ref>{{Harvnb|Al Helal|2003|pp=546–552}}</ref>

===Reaction in West Pakistan===
Although the Language Movement is considered to have laid the foundations for [[ethnic nationalism]] in many of the Bengalis of East Bengal and later East Pakistan, it also heightened the cultural animosity between the authorities of the two wings of Pakistan.<ref name="B2g" /><ref>{{Harvnb|Uddin|2006|pp=120–121}}</ref><ref name="BH">{{cite web
 |title = History of Bangladesh
 |url = http://www.discoverybangladesh.com/history.html
 |publisher = Discovery Bangladesh
 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070609211143/http://www.discoverybangladesh.com/history.html
 |archive-date= 9 June 2007
 |access-date = 21 June 2007
}}</ref> In the western wing of the Dominion of Pakistan, the movement was seen as a sectional uprising against Pakistani national interests.<ref name="AS">{{cite journal
 | last = Rahman | first = Tariq |author-link=Tariq Rahman |date=September 1997 | title = Language and Ethnicity in Pakistan | journal = Asian Survey |publisher=University of California Press
 | volume = 37 | issue = 9 | pages = 833–839 | issn = 0004-4687
 | doi = 10.2307/2645700
 | jstor=2645700}}</ref> The rejection of the "Urdu-only" policy was seen as a contravention of the [[Islamic culture|Perso-Arabic culture]] of Muslims and the founding ideology of Pakistan, the [[two-nation theory]].<ref name="B2g" /> Some of the most powerful politicians from the [[Dominion of Pakistan#Territory|western wing]] of Pakistan considered Urdu a product of Indian Islamic culture, but saw Bengali as a part of "Hinduized" Bengali culture.<ref name="JSToldenburg" /> Most stood by the "Urdu only" policy because they believed that only a single language, one that was not indigenous to Pakistan, should serve as the national language. This kind of thinking also provoked considerable opposition in the western wing, wherein there existed several linguistic groups.<ref name="JSToldenburg" /> As late as in 1967, military dictator Ayub Khan said, "East Bengal is ... still under considerable Hindu culture and influence."<ref name="JSToldenburg" />