DHAKA, Feb 22, 2023 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said everyone should remain united against the evil forces and their patrons who want to distort the language and change the culture.

"Though regrettable, it is true that BNP is the chief patron of those who tried to do so-called Islamization of the language by introducing Bengali writing in Arabic alphabet, banned Rabindranath's songs in East Bengal, wanted to take away and change our language and culture with violent paws, and who are in dilemma whether they are Bangalee or Bangladeshi even after the 52 years of independence," he said.

The minister said this while addressing the two-day 'Jatiya Shahithya Utshab-2023' organised by Narayanganj Zila Samity (NZS) at Jatiya Press Club in the city with its President and Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi in the chair.

Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Md Aktharuzzaman addressed it as special guest.

Hasan said the vested quarter, with the patronization of BNP, wants to spread confusion by raising unnecessary questions about books and various subjects of Bengali language from time to time. Everyone must be united against them, he added.

Terming the Bangla as one of the prideful languages in the globe, the minister said the great 21st February is being observed globally as the 'International Mother Language'. About 35 crore people talk in Bangla and the position of the language is sixth according to the number in the world, he added.

And now, he said, the aim is to establish the Bengali language as official language in the United Nations (UN) and "We are working to materialize the dream".

Welcoming the literary figures from the West Bengal of India, Hasan said, "Geographical differences could not separate the soul-bond of the Bangalees of our two countries. We hear the songs of same birds, grow up on the same river basin and talk in same language. I am overwhelmed by the respect and love of Bangalees in India towards the great 21st February. Different programmes were held in Kolkata marking the day."

He said Rabindranath Tagore was the first Nobel laureate for literature outside Europe while Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose was the first to discover the life of trees and Dr FR Khan is a Bangalee who is the architect of Chicago Sears Tower. A large number of Nobel laureates from the Indian subcontinent are Bengalis, he added

Gazi, in his speech, said, "I am proud that the association of my home district Narayanganj has organized the National Literary Festival with the representatives of Bangladesh and India. We want to hold the festival every year with the writers of the two countries."

Ahammed Mir Akram and Shakira Nova from Bangladesh and Nandini Laha and Shyamol Majumder from India recited poems while Samity general secretary KMA Hanif Ridoy conducted it.