Marking International Mother Language Day, a street play titled “Hunger of Language” was staged at the University of Dhaka, paying tribute to linguistic rights, freedom of expression, and the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement.
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The production was performed today (Saturday) at 11 am at the base of the Raju Sculpture by Dhaka University Natya Sangsad. The play was written and directed by second-year DU student Mubashshir Mahmud Nibir.
The performance opened with actors dressed in black entering the stage in a procession, holding placards reading “We want Bangla as the state language.” Through a blend of theatrical techniques, the backdrop of the Language Movement was portrayed to the rhythm of the iconic poem Karar Oi Louho Kopat, Bhenge Fel Kor Re Lopaat.
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Alongside revisiting the history of the 1952 movement, the play highlighted the role of University of Dhaka in the struggle and raised questions about the present generation’s attitude towards the Bangla language.
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Speaking after the show, director Mubashshir Mahmud Nibir said, “State power loves language only as long as it remains silent. When language begins to question and speak out against injustice, attempts are made to suppress it. That is where our play begins.”
Co-director Nusrat Jahan Sadia added, “We have yet to fully realise how beautiful the Bangla language is. The day we truly understand that International Mother Language Day is observed worldwide because of the struggle for Bangla, we will no longer look down upon our own language.”
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From the audience, Kathak Bishwas, literary secretary of Jagannath Hall Parliament, observed, “In recent times, there has been a drought in theatrical practice in the country. Against that backdrop, such a programme centred on Ekushey is undoubtedly significant.”
He further noted that the initiative, undertaken by university students themselves, sets a positive example for arts and cultural practice in the Bangladesh of tomorrow and is expected to inspire others to follow suit.
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