Pattaya, Thailand-
The Pattaya Thai-Bangladeshi Community marked International Mother Language Day this past Tuesday, February 21st, 2023, in Pattaya.
The event took place at 7:30 P.M. at the Unique Regency Hotel located on Pratumnak Soi 5 in Pattaya and was attended by dozens of local residents, prestigious guests, and members of the Pattaya Thai-Bangladeshi Community.
You can learn more about International Mother Language Day here. The observance is held worldwide and is formally recognized by the United Nations as a day to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by peoples of the world, according to UNESCO. It is especially important to the Bangladeshi people as the day was their initiative. The people of Bangladesh fought for the recognition of the Bangla language in the late forties and early fifties in East Bengal (now Bangladesh), culminating in an incident in 1952 in which the then Pakistani government, which wanted to make Urdu the only national language, opened fire on protests and rallies protesting the decision to not make Bengali a state language, killing five people and injuring hundreds. In 1956, the Bengali language was finally made a state language of Pakistan after years of protests, rallies, and activism.
Since that time, the people of Bangladesh in particular have marked the day with ceremonies and observations to commemorate their language and remember those who fought for their mother tongue. The day, however, marks all languages and the importance of preserving one’s native mother tongue. You can read even more about the day here.
The event was marked by a number of passionate speeches from various speakers in guests in English, Bengali, and Thai and also saw several ceremonies, music, cultural activities, and a delicious dinner prepared by the Thai Bangladeshi Community in Pattaya.
Here is a photo gallery from the event:
