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Monday, January 15, 2018

The significance of 21st February and its background history



There is no denying the fact that the movement of 21st February was a call for restoration of democracy for which the non-co-operation movements with the then rulers have been promulgated day by day to achieve independence as an ultimate target. Due to the fact, it was not only their sole desire to make Urdu as a state language but also there were many reasons behind it which may be reflected as Political and educational aggression, to pollute Socioeconomic condition, to pollute cultural and traditional affairs, to occupy monopolies over trade and commerce, to handicap people under obligation towards submission, to surpass the people under tyrannous depletion etc and hence in regard to economical aspects in common life, the goods which were produced by our active people from our land and factories were taken to the West Pakistan and priced cheaply in that land but it was costly to us to consume. There was a great ambiguity in between the measuring of values made between the two countries and not only that in case of import and export of our commodities, such ambiguity was largely compacted. It is a significant fact that they led their efforts to suppress us every time in the field of economics ingrained in common life. It is evident from the past history that they used to exploit us in different ways for which they formulated the policies to disgrace us in tyrannical attitudes with which our people declared movement on 21st February and being agitated, they protested them against their attitudes and feelings for aggression and misruling.  The movement of 21st February was only an agitation against the exploitation of resources in this country which was their object to occupy some how. They wanted to make Urdu as their state language in the sense that they liked to extend their hands for exploitation in respect of economics, commerce, language, education and traditional aspects involved in social and cultural life. Like British Empire, they wanted to torture in respect of mental, physical, political and social aspects ingrained in our common people irrespective of caste and creed. Bangladesh came into being as an independent state in 1971 from the emergent of the movement of 21st February. The movement spread as  nation wide agitation and there is no doubt that our economic profile has been flourishing day by day and we can say that the 21st February is a milestone of our economic prosperity and political affiliation in the dimension of Bangladesh in the world map. 
             By our active movement, it is documented as International Mother language Day on 21st February in every year through out the whole world and it is consecrated by swaging flowers and holding the memories in the highest regard to those language martyrs who had laid down their lives for the cause of launching the dignity of our survival as a nation uprising our heads like other nations virtually. The 21st February is a red-letter day in the history of our mother tongue. It is a very significant day in view of good verdict that we have been able to pioneer our mother tongue as our state language. It is our glory and inspiration that we have accomplished freedom from the movement of this day. We think that we could not achieve our freedom if 21st February was not emergent in 1952. Due to the movement of this day, we have shown our agitation against the rulers of the then Pakistan. To speak the truth, the 21st February, as a symbol of blaze illumination is our rectitude for which our survival as Bengali nation has been reproduced through out the whole world. As compared to socio-economic condition of the erstwhile Pakistan, the recent economic profile so far data have been collected in due course has been enumerated as follows:
A monetary profile of Bangladesh

·         The Country

:
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh
·         Brief history
:
Documentation history is traceable to the fourth century B.C. with clear facts of prosperous society, consisting of cities, palaces, temples, forts, seats of learning and monasteries: 1200 A.D. – introduction of the Muslims; 17th century – a time of fiscal well beings; 1757 – beginning of British colonial rule; 1947-departure of British from Indian Subcontinent and Bangladesh becomes East Bengal/East Pakistan as part of Pakistan; 1971-emergence of the sovereign state of Bangladesh through a bloody and devastating armed struggle against the Pakistani force.
·         Geographical location

South Asia; between 20 degree 34 and 26 degree 38 north latitude and between 88 degree 01 and 92 degree 41 east longitude; consists of flat fertile alluvial land.
·         Boundaries

North   – India (West Bengal and Meghalaya)
West   – India (West Bengal)
East    – India (Tripura and Assam) and Myanmar(Burma)
South – The Bay of Bengal
·         Area
:
1,47,570 sq. km. (Territorial water – 12 nautical miles)
·         Administrative divisions
:
The country is divided into 6 divisions (Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet), 64 Districts and 460 Thanas (Sub-districts).
·         Capital City
:
Dhaka
·         Standard time
:
GMT +6 hours
·         Climate
:
Sub-tropical monsoon
·         Climate variation
:
Winter (December – February) temperature: average maximum 29oC, average minimum 11oC.
Summer (April-June) temperature: Average maximum 32oC, average minimum 21oC.
Unfortunately, Bangladesh has to face, quite frequently, natural disasters of great magnitude.  Being located at the mouth of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra delta, Bangladesh often gets submerged by abnormal floods during July-September and severe tropical cyclones accompanied by tidal waves during October to mid-December and during the April-May period causing very heavy loss of human lives, physical infrastructure and production, both in agricultural and industrial sectors.
·         Rainfall
:
1194 mm to 3454 mm (average during monsoon, June – August).
·         Humidity
:
Highest: 99 per cent (July)
Lowest : 36 per cent (December & January)
·         Vegetation
:
Grassland, mixed evergreen and evergreen
·         Population
:
Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country and one of the most densely populated countries in the world.  According to the results of the 1991 census, the total population of Bangladesh was 111.4 million (March 1991) and the population growth rate was 2.17 per cent.  In January 2000, the total population stood at 130.2 million and the population growth rate was 1.5 per cent.  The percentage of population living in rural areas is about 80 per cent (2000).
·         Adult literacy rate (15 years+), (2000)
:
60 per cent (compulsory and free primary education)
·         Birth rate (per 1000 persons), (1999)
:
23.60
·         Death rate (per 1000 persons), (1999)
:
8.00
·         Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1000 live births before one year), (1999)
:
66.00
·         Total fertility rate per woman (1997)
:
3.30
·         Contraceptive use rate (1998)
:
51.50 per cent
·         Life expectancy (1999)
:
Male      – 60.80 years

Female   – 59.60 years

·         Average age of women at first marriage (1998)
:
20.2 years
·         Population per hospital bed (1999)
:
4251
·         Population per doctor (1999)
:
4599
·         Percentage of family using safe drinking water (1998)
:
96.2 per cent
·         Ethnic groups
:
Predominantly mixed group of Proto Austroloids/Dravidians, Mongoloids and Aryans
·         Language
:
95 per cent Bangla (State language) and 5 per cent other dialects
English is widely spoken.
·         Religion
:
Muslim (88.3%), Hindu (10.5%), Buddhist (0.6%), Christian (0.3%) and Animists and believers in tribal faiths (0.3%).
·         Food
:
 Rice, wheat, potato, sweet potato, vegetables, pulses, fish and meat.
·         Principal crops
:
Rice, wheat, potato, spices, pulses, jute, tea, tobacco and sugarcane
·         Principal rivers
:
Padma, Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Meghan, Karnaphuli, Teesta, etc. Total 230 rivers including tributaries.
·         Mineral resources
:
Natural gas, limestone, hard rock, coal, lignite, silica sand, white clay, radioactive sand, etc. (There is a strong possibility of oil deposit).
·         Human resources
:
Bangladesh boasts of a substantial manpower reserve _ trained, skilled, engineers, technicians, physicians, lawyers, economists, accountants, administrative and managerial personnel.  There is abundance of low cost, easily trainable and adaptable and hard working intelligent labour force.
·         Employment and labour force (as per Labour Force Survey, 1995/96)
:
Civilian labour force: 56.0 million; Male – 35.0 million and female – 21.0 million.  Percentage of labour force: Agriculture – 63.2, Industry (manufacturing, electricity and gas) – 7.7, Others – 29.1.
·         Form of government
:
The country has a parliamentary form of government headed by the Prime Minister.  The President is the constitutional head of the state.  The number of seats in the National Parliament is 300.
·         Principal industries
:
Garments, textile, jute, tea, paper and newsprint, fertilizer, leather and leather goods, sugar, cement, ceramic, fish processing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, engineering and ship building, iron and steel, oil refinery, paints, colors and varnishes, cigarettes, electric and wires and electrical goods and accessories.
·         Traditional export items
:
Raw jute, jute manufactures (hessian sacking, carpet backing, carpets), jute products, tea, leather and leather products, etc.
·         Non-traditional export items
:
Garments, frozen shrimps, other fish products, newsprint, paper, naphtha, furnace oil, urea, etc.
·         Principal imports
:
Petroleum products, food grains, oil seeds, crude petroleum, raw cotton, edible oil, fertilizer, cement, staple fibers, yarn, iron and steel, machinery and capital goods, medicines, motor cars, etc.
·         Principal partners of foreign trade
:
USA, EU, Japan, India, Pakistan, Canada, China, South Korea, Russia, etc.
·         Bangladesh in international forum
:
Bangladesh is a member of many international and regional organisations including United Nations, Commonwealth, SAARC, OIC, World Bank, IMF, IFC, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNHCR, FAO, WHO, ILO, ADB, IDB, SAPTA, WTO (formerly GATT) and so on.
·         Tourism
:
With growing international interest in traveling through Asia, tourism is taking roots in Bangladesh.  Bangladesh offers a variety of historically significant and culturally unique sites for tourists.  Sylhet’s tea gardens, Cox’s Bazar sea-beach, the Royal Bengal Tiger, deer and the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world with unique bio-diversity offer tourist attractions.  Ancient mosques, Buddhist monasteries, Hindu temples, monuments and other landmarks dot the countryside.
·         Currency
:
Taka (TK)
1 US Dollar = TK 49.37 (as on September 22, 1999).
·         Central Bank
:
Bangladesh Bank
·         Bank rate
:
8 per cent
The Economy:


·         GDP at current price, 1999-2000 (provisional)
:
TK 2412.78 billion
US $48.56 billion (approximately)
·         Annual per capital GDP, 1999-2000
:
TK 18528
US $373 (approximately)
·         GDP growth rate at constant price, 1999-2000
:
5 per cent
·         Inflation rate (consumer price index), 1999-2000
:
6 per cent
·         Gross domestic investment/GDP, 1999-2000
:
22.41 per cent

Public – 6.73 per cent and

Private – 15.68 per cent
·         Gross national savings/GDP, 1999-2000
:
21. 8 per cent
·         Exports, 1998-99
:
US $ 5324 million
·         Imports, 1998-99
:
US $ 8018 million
·         Foreign remittances, 1998-99
:
US $ 1706 million
·         Government revenue income/GDP, 1999-2000
:
10.01 per cent
·         Government revenue expenditure/GDP, 1999-2000
:
14.99 per cent
·         Deficit/GDP, 1999-2000
:
4.98 per cent
·         Foreign exchange reserves (as on 4 May, 2000)
:
US $ 1622 million
·         Annual Development Programme, 1999-2000
:
TK. 155 billion
·         Debt service/exports
:
12.1 per cent
·         Sect oral contribution to GDP, 1999-2000 (provisional)
:

-       Agriculture
:
31.9 per cent
-       Industry
:
11.1 per cent
-       Construction
:
6.4 per cent
-       Electricity, Gas, Water and Sanitary
:
1.7 per cent
-       Transport and Communication
:
12.4 per cent
-       Trade and other services
:
10.2 per cent
-       Housing
:
6.8 per cent
-       Public Administration
:
5.7 per cent
-       Bank and Insurance
:
1.7 per cent
-       Profession and miscellaneous services
:
12.1 per cent
·         Foreign aid
:
Total foreign aid received (from 1971-72 to 1998-99):  US $ 34753 million
Balance of repayable debt (at the end of 1998-99): US $ 14840 million
·         Food grains production (1999‑2000)
:
20.16 million MT (net)
·         Total demand for food grains (1999-2000)
:
21.36 million MT
·         Forest
:
Forestry accounts for 2.3 per cent of GDP (1999-2000).  Total forest land covers an area of 2.5 million hectares (about 17 per cent of the total land area).  Out of this only 45 per cent area is covered with trees and plants.  Principal forest products are timber, firewood, golpata, bamboo, sungrass, honey, wax, and cane and rattan.  The Sundarbans is the national forest.  The famous Royal Bengal Tiger is found here.

From the above view point, it is clear that after the emergence of Bangladesh such profile of economy either Micro or Macro has been achieved due to active intervention of our people in different sectors of development. This identity whatever we posses were not possible if 21st February was not created to retaliate the tyrannical boom of the then rulers of Pakistan. And as such, in this day some young persons of our country have declared indomitable movement to create confrontation against the conspiracy of our mother tongue. They have intensified the movement by degrees and being polemical, the then rulers have invaded them and ultimately they had shot them dead. This is such a movement where our heroes have laid down their lives for the cause of dignity of our mother tongue. In the whole world, such unparalleled movement has never been taken place. Like each year, this year has carried out this day with due somber mood and prominence and as such we celebrate this day with honour according to the heritage of the country. This day is mixed with our Independence Day as if it is mixed with our blood. The heroes who have laid down their lives for the cause of our equality, liberty and national prestige of our country shall remain ever memorable to us.
But the achievement of 21st February is being hampered to uphold with the heinous touchwood of terrorism and there is no denying the fact that being poverty based country; we are passing through a great threadbare against terror campaign, bribing, and dishonesty and embracing a cause of policies of disingenuous the people. The creator has sent people to the land with all crucial things fundamentally imperative for their endurance. God has also imparted upon them some rules for leading our lives controlled and cleanly and as such God has accordingly conferred upon some rules and directives so that human beings can show the way his life by following these instructions like complete code of every well beings of eternity virtually and ideally. If they go out of these rules, they become nonplussed what to do. Corruption may exist in rendering services in the field of private, public sectors and in leading normal flow of life. When a man degenerates himself, he stigmatizes himself by entering into the world of dimness as well as fallacious from where he can never get rid of. He commits crime, such as smuggling, robbing, murdering, snatching and dilapidation etc. Failure waits for him everywhere and even if, he is attracted by innumerable but deadly forbidden things. Being educated, he becomes addicted to evil works in society. He knows that it is the transient and allusion of worldly affairs, which has no eternal value in the real sense. In many times, it is observed that he becomes ambitious and many harmful activities are performed in social life. He knows that being corrupt and heinous work, the society cannot consider him as an evil person; never the less; every body is in the way to run after such forbidden things. In many times the terror leaders welcome him and encourage him to do the forbidden things. Thus a person becomes the leader of the country and occupies a very influential position in the society by doing all the forbidden things like bribing, mal practicing and thieving. Hence forth, it is seen that from every branches of the Government corruption is a common phenomenon for which the nation would like to lead a healthy life. Bangladesh is a highly populated country and as such the double entendre among her resources and needs are prevailing every time to a great extent. Due to shortage of wealth, here one-fourth people cannot satisfy their daily needs for which no one is satisfied with his family life. It is a very difficult thing for someone to get a job, as there are fewer vacancies in offices, industries and so on. When people cannot find any occupation or job for earning their livelihood, they do not get any alternative measures except committing crimes. So unemployment is a reason for being a criminal and the opportunist apply this sense in evil manner and influence him to do the job of mischievous and heinous deeds for which he remains depleted through out his whole life.  In this world everyone needs a companion to live with society, friendship and love. That is why; people make friendship in the hope to have good fortune to deal future life. But every friend might not stand beside another friend in weal and woe. He sometimes pushes him towards danger and inspires him for doing anti-social activities, which is called ‘crime’. Therefore, being a criminal, he may be infected with the misleading people. Suffice it to say that due to frustrated socio-economic conditions prevailing in our country, our society of youths is leading very miserable life. They are creating hindrance and preventing the people from dealing normal life as they are sometimes no longer lost to play a role of terrorists as well as miscreants. Due to the fact that poverty is the indispensable reason for doing criminal assault on the part of the youths. Any person belonging to a poor family has to pass his days through hard struggle. He surely wants to develop his condition. On the other hand, for being poor, he does not get opportunity to be educated properly. Consequently, he cannot have any respectable occupation. At last, finding no other alternatives, he commits crime as his profession. If we are able to reach our goal as expected, it is universal that glory of success must wait for us in future. But we must have to work arduously for that golden opportunity. Otherwise our all hopes and aspirations will be nipped in the bud. No one cannot get salvation of ideal love and peace from God by following the path vices and misfortune. Dr. Faustus was an uncommon genius but by committing seven deadly sins with the exchange of his soul into the hell by taking 24 years kingdom in the eternal world had been thrown to the hell.  Lucifer, the owner of the hail grew jealous of him for his talent and geniuses and made a deed by way of Mephistopheles with Faustus. Later, Faustus became lamented but due to his colossal crime, he was thrown to the hell for his misdeeds for long 24 years. That is to say, if a man is addicted to bad habits during childhood, he cannot get rid of from such criminal assault for which he has to repent on through out his whole life. Youth is the best season of good harvest and as such it is likes mild mud and henceforth, he needs to precede his life very carefully.  Fundamentally, for these three reasons, we are loosing many brightly illuminated resource personnel to place them on the basis of ‘Right man for the right place' of our country. We need to end all these frolicsome activities. We must come across some way to get rid of mischievous debris and save the bewildered people of our country. The Government also should take actions against such awful activities. First of all, the people here should be aware of the explosion of population and they must not possess more than two children. Secondly, we need to be careful about making friendship, so that we don’t have any bad company. And at last, we must have to recognize the importance of education and the teachings of 21st February. No matter how poor we are, we have to try our level best to gain knowledge. In this context, Socrates said," Knowledge is virtue, from knowledge, virtue and goodness flourish; from ignorance, he said, all that is evil."

We want all the ends of such mischievous activity from the social life. We should memorize the great sacrifice of the martyrs who had hoarded our mother tongue by dedicating their lives. Consequent upon this, we achieved the 21st February as an ‘International Mother Tongue Day’ in 1999. This is a great achievement in the world to show our best regards to our Bengali Language. It is a rare example in the history of mankind. Furthermore, the dignity of our mother tongue is worthy of achieving the highest honour as the poet in this language has been awarded ‘Nobel Prize’ and even in many European and American countries such language is taught and a certain part of the people in the world this language of their own accord. Many great men have been born in this beautiful land which is the best contribution of the world. There is a great history in the background of our mother language and this is highlighted through struggle in the history and for this reason our mother tongue has been mixed as if in our heart and soul through thick and thin.

In fine, it is evident that the 21st February was undoubtedly a call for restoration of democracy which is promulgated by the people, for the people and of the people. The Pakistani hoarders tried to loot our economy and freedom of survival; if we would like to preserve the prestige of Bengali nation, we need to pay great eulogy praise to the martyrs. They had laid down their lives for the restoration of democracy and freedom of economics. Their activities are undoubtedly of heroic deeds. If we dedicate ourselves for the cause of equality and liberty of our country, their departed souls will be peaceful and effulgence. In every year, we celebrate this day by showing homage to them and shower the flowers to the ‘Shaheed Minar’ in order to solemnize their memory and achievements contributed to the dignity of our mother tongue.

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