Language Planning Newsletter, August 1979, Vol. 5, No. 3
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EAST-WEST CULTURE LEARNING INSTITUTE AUGUST 1979 VOL. 5. NO.3 qOM Language Planning in Bangladesh Mohammad Moniruzzaman* With the emergence of Bangladesh as a sov- Until 1971, Bangalees constituted the majority ereign country, the purpose and meaning of lan- of Pakistanis. On that basis, they could have claimed guage planning in Bangladesh has changed. Hal's that Bengali alone should be the national language description (1971) of the activities of the Bangla of Pakistan. Instead, Bangalees demanded equal Academy, the Central Board for the Development status of all languages of Pakistan. But people of Bengali and the Department of Bengali at the in power adopted an evasive policy. As they could p University of Dacca in the context of Pakistan is a not impose Urdu, they declared that Bengali and very useful narration of some gains in the late sixties. Urdu would be recognized as national languages But the perspective is now different. but would need further development over a period Bangladesh is probably the only country in con- of no less than ten years. Meanwhile English should temporary history that began its struggle for inde- be used as the official language. (Constitution of pendence with a "Language Movement". During the the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1961) Subse- last days of British India Bengali Muslims constituted quently, two "Development Boards" were set up- about two-thirds of the population of Bengal and it one for Bengali in Dacca and one for Urdu in Karachi. was only in Bengal that a non-Congress Muslim The struggle for Bengali continued, eventually turned ministry existed. It was the educated Bengali Muslim into a liberation war and resulted in the establishment class (which included both the upper and middle of Bangladesh in 1971. classes) who helped create Pakistan, the conse- The Bangladesh government declared Bengali quence of a long history of conflict between the as the official language in 1971 and passed laws Hindus and the Muslims (Moniruzzaman 1970). But and orders to use Bengali at all levels. The con- upper-class Muslim immigrants gained control of stitution was written in Bengali. Concerning lan- Pakistan. This ruling class wanted to impose the guage it says: Indian language Urdu as the only national language The State Language of the Republic is Bengali." of Pakistan, suppressing all indigenous languages- (Part I, Article 3) Bengali, Panjabi, Sindhi, Baluchi and Pashtu. and An immediate resistance developed in East Ben- The state shall adopt measures to conserve the gal as early as in 1948. In 1952 many people, cultural traditions and heritage of the people, especially students of Dacca University, laid down and so to foster and improve the national lan- their lives. Later on, a 'Shahid Minar" (Martyr's guage, literature and the arts that all sections Monument) was erected as a memorial to the martyrs of the people... participate." (Part II, Section 23.) of the Language Movement and the Bangla Academy Government notes and orders, parliamentary was established in 1957 to do research on Bengali debates and records began to be expressed in Ben- language and undertake cultural development gali. When Bangladesh was admitted to the United programs. Nations, the head of government, Sheikh Muzibur I Rahman, delivered his speech in the U.N. in Bengali. * The author is Professor and Chairman, Department of Bengali, (Continued on page 3) University of Dacca, Dacca, Bangladesh. NOW AVAILABLE-The Foreign Language Needs of The project descriptions of current research on US. Corporations Doing Business Abroad by the immigrant worker and communication, particular- Marianne Inman. ERIC (Center for Applied Lin- ly the practical intervention by host country individ- guistics, 1611 North Kent Street, Arlington, Virginia uals and agencies to assist, and the 20 papers ac- I 22209), 1979. companied by discussion give valuable depth insight into migrant language problems in Northern Europe, The volume is Inman's 1977 doctoral dissertation in their social effects, and in research and language to the of Texas, Austin. A re- presented University teaching intervention to handle them. (Björn H. vised version entitled: Foreign Languages, English as Jernudd) a Second/Foreign Language and the U.S. Multi- national is available also ERIC. Corporation through NOW AVAILABLE-The Older Mother of the Executive Tongues Dr. Inman has prepared an Summary United edited C.V. James. 1978. Centre which she has offered to who writes Kingdom by provide anyone for Information on Language Teaching and Research her at: 7-370A J Street, Anchorage, Alaska. Further, (20 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AP). she would like to hear from anyone who has done or 56 pages. is planning work in this area. There are two chapters, one on Welsh and one Major findings of the study are the following: on Scottish Gaelic and a brief interchapter on Irish. 1. The greatest amount of international business Both chapters have a fine list of organizations con- in which the U.S. are involved is corporations cerned with promoting Welsh and Scottish Gaelic. done in Western fol- currently being Europe, Both provide a description of the role of the language lowed Central and Canada, by South America, in the community and in schools. The Welsh chapter the Middle East, and the Far East. has a section "Towards a national language policy." 2. is the most studied U.S. Spanish language by Each contains a select bibliography. nationals going abroad and also the language most involved in translation and interpretation. NOW AVAILABLE-Bilingualism and British Educa- 3. U.S. business abroad corporations doing rely tion: The Dimensions of Diversity Papers from a con- on as the business primarily English language ference on Bilingualism in British Education con- and the means of communication. vened in January, 1976. 1976. Centre for Information 4. Language training is provided to a majority of on Language Teaching and Research (20 Carlton U.S. national employees going overseas and House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AP). 109 pages. outranks technical, cultural, and managerial In addition I training in type of training provided. to 9 papers on various aspects of bi- education, of minorities 5. LSP for lingual problems linguistic (languages Special Purposes) training and the relation of and is included in U.S. national foreign language teaching only rarely there are instruc- bilingualism, reports by working parties, employees' preassignment language of current research in the area and a select tion. reports bibliography. Among the questions considered by 6. Translation and are interpreting requirements the working parties are: (10) Are differences in handled generally by corporate employees educational provision required as between 'migrant' whose are in a area. jobs nonlanguage and 'immigrant' minorities? (2) Language mainte- 7. English is generally the language in which tech- nance for minorities in mainstream schools (3) nical training is given to non U.S. national Minority languages as a foreign language provision employees overseas. (4) Information requirements for educational planning 8. A far greater commitment exists to language and development (5) Teaching English in relation to training for non U.S. national employees than to mother tongues (6) Interrelationship between U.S. national employees. mother tongue and mainstream schools. 9. Language training for non U.S. national em- ployees is overwhelmingly done in English and is to include an LSP a apt (i.e. job-oriented) THE EAST-WEST CENTER is a national educational component. institution established in Hawaii by the U.S. Congress 10. For most companies doing international bus- in 1960 to promote better relations and understanding between the United States and the nations of Asia and iness, language training has played no role in the Pacific through cooperative study, training, and the of their overseas planning operations. research. Each year more than 1, 500 men and women from many nations and cultures work together in problem- oriented institutes or on "open" grants as they seek solu- NOW AVAILABLE-Papers from the first Scandina- tions to problems of mutual consequence to East and navian-German symposium on the language of im- West. For each Center participant from the Asian and workers and their children edited by Norbert Pacific area. The U.S. Congress provides basic funding migrant for and a of awards, and the Center is Dittmar, H. Haberland, T. and U. programs variety Skutnabb-Kangas administered by a public, nonprofit corporation with an I Teleman. Roskilde, March 1923, 1978. ROLIGpapir international Board of Governors. 12, Roskilde Universitetscenter, Postbox 260, 1777 East-West Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96848 DK4000 Roskilde, Denmark. 299 pages. 2 LANGUAGE PLANNING NEWSLETTER 9 NO. 3 The Central Board for Development of Bengali was be undertaken in classroom situations and an effec- merged with the Bangla Academy to avoid dupli- tive revision process should be evolved by the Text- cation and to make the Bangia Academy function book Board. more effectively (the Act Bangla Academy 1973). Also the teachers have The medium of instruction for all schools and col- language problems. Teachers at various levels and in different leges became Bengali. An Education Commission subjects need to get help in overcoming possible difficulties was appointed under the chairmanship of the late Dr. Kudrut-e-Khuda. It submitted a in in their use of Bengali for teaching purposes. Very report Bengali little has been in 1975 down an educational done so far in this regard. The same laying language policy: is the a) the medium of instruction at all levels of case with use of Bengali in offices. The 'Munier is a education is to be Bengali. Optima"' typewriter certainly great help but no steps have been taken to set a b) Bengali is to be taught as a compulsory up type- writer production unit in facili- subject from pre-school through the BA.