FROM PAGE 16

its Principal linguist Dr Muhammad Shahidullah played a crucial role in organising the protests in Bogura for Bangla as a state language.

On February 27/28 of 1948, in the wake of the opposition of Muslim League members to a proposal to recognise Bangla as a state language in the Pakistan Constituent Assembly, a huge procession led by Azizul Haque College Chhatra Federation leader Abdul Matin marched around the city and reached its heart, the Satmathha intersection.

Several student leaders were injured when Muslim League leaders and activists attacked the protesters, according to the book Bhasha Andolan Kosh Part 1 , written by M Abdul Alim.

On that day, a Sarbodoliyo Rashtrobhasha Sangram Committee (All-Party State Language Struggle Committee) was formed with Ataur Rahman, a senior student leader of the college, as the convener and Dr Muhammad Shahidullah as the adviser. The members included Gaziul Haque, Abul Fazal Siddiqui and Saleha Khatun.

On March 11, a huge procession led by Dr Muhammad Shahidullah was brought out in support of the Language Movement. People from all walks of life participated in this programme. After the procession, Dr Muhammad Shahidullah presided over a rally at Bogura Zilla School field.

In continuation of the protests in 1948, the Language Movement stirred up in 1952. According to the book Bhasha Andolan Teknaf Theke Tntulia by Ahmed Rafiq, on January 27, 1952, when the government declared Urdu as the state language of Pakistan, the angry students and public of Bogura erupted in protests. At a protest rally at Edward Park on February 12, Majiruddin Ahmed, farmers’ leader Abdul Aziz Kabiraj, labour leader Subodh Lahiri, and others spoke in favour of Bangla as a state language.

On February 17, a Sarbodoliyo Rashtrobhasha Sangram Committee was formed with student leader Golam Mohiuddin as the convener, Majiruddin Ahmed president, and Abdul Aziz Kabiraj as the vice-president. The other members included student leader Abdus Shahid and labour leader Subodh Lahiri. It was decided to form similar committees in every Thana.

A general strike was observed on February 21. On that day students and the public took out a peaceful protest procession from Azizul Haque College, chanting the slogan “Rashtrobhasha Bangla Chai (We want Bangla as State Language)”. At a rally at Altafunnesa Maidan that afternoon, speakers demanded the resignation of the members of the East Bengal Legislative Assembly.

The news of the killing of students in police firing in Dhaka reached Bogura on February 22. Bogura was seething with anger at that time. At a rally at Edward Park, all the educational institutions were declared shut indefinitely.

According to the book Bhasha Andolan Teknaf Theke Tetulia , on February 23, agitating students organised a huge rally attended by around 10,000 people at Jagannath Maidan in Bogura amid a full-day strike. A huge procession of students and the public gathered for the rally after marching around the city.

On February 24, another spontaneous strike was observed with shops and business establishments completely shut. Gradually, all administrative activities in Bogura came to a standstill as the agitation spread to the remote towns and rural parts of Bogura.