The Language Movement was a political and social movement in Bangladesh (then known as East Pakistan) that aimed to establish Bengali as an official language of the region. It was a significant event in the country's history and played a crucial role in shaping the Bengali identity and culture.
The movement started in 1948 when the government of Pakistan declared that Urdu would be the only official language of the country, disregarding the fact that the majority of the people in East Pakistan spoke Bengali. This decision sparked widespread protests and demonstrations, as Bengalis saw it as an attempt to suppress their language and culture.
The Language Movement reached its peak on February 21, 1952, when a group of students and activists organized a protest in Dhaka to demand the recognition of Bengali as an official language. The protest turned violent when the police opened fire on the demonstrators, killing several people. The incident became known as the Language Martyrs Day and is now observed as a national holiday in Bangladesh.
The Language Movement was successful in achieving its goal, as Bengali was later recognized as an official language of Pakistan in 1956. The movement played a vital role in the lead-up to the Bangladesh Liberation War, which resulted in the creation of an independent Bangladesh in 1971.