ভাষার রাজপথ _ শোক হতে শক্তি : Center for Language Shoheed Minar Area, Dhaka University, Dhaka

Abstract

The Language Movement of Bangladesh in 1952 is an unprecedented incident. No other nation fought and martyred for establishing their mother tongue as their national language. I propose to design a Center for Language that will be the embodiment of compliment towards the Language Movement martyrs, representing our cultural opulence by preserving the history of Language Movement and the chronological enlargement of Bengali literature. Languages are the strongest instruments of preserving and flourishing our tangible and intangible inheritance. To speak in mother tongue is a primary right for everyone of a free nation. The Shaheed Minar (Language Martyr Monument) embodies the memories of a magnificent and courageous event, that asserted the primary right of communicating in one’s native tongue. It provides a place to remember and mourn the martyrs who sacrificed their lives on 21st February, 1952, and it personifies the honor and love of millions of people. I intend to perpetuate the history of the Language Movement respecting the historical site. It is not just designing a center but connecting the spaces where the agitation was conceived, matured and culminated. It will be enveloped with thousand of flowers for 21st February celebrations and will remain that color for the rest of the days throughout the year and become a platform for celebrating urban cultural life. The influence of foreign culture has become a acute threat for Bengali culture and literature. I propose a platform for everyone so that we can fill up this void that has been created through time with our ignorance towards our own culture through architectural invention.