Celebration of International Mother Language Day, 2022

On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, ECDO arranged discussion and Education materials distribution program on 21^st February, 2022. The program was held at Manipuri Cultural Complex, Adampur Bazar, Kamalgonj Upazila, Moulvibazar. At the beginning of the day, all students and parents of Manipuri Language Center (MLC) took part in a colorful rally and paid glowing tributes to the memory of all language movement martyrs of Bangladesh with the wreaths at the altar of the Shaheed Minar of a local school. After that, all participants gathered at Manipuri cultural complex, located at Adampur bazar and discussion session was started on Using Technology for Multilingual Learning: Challenges and Opportunities– the theme of 21^st February, 2022.  Lakshmikanta Singh, Executive Director of ECDO gave welcome speech of this event and discussed about the goals and objectives of the current education project and the importance of Manipuri language center |(MLC). He said that a man can express his feelings and thoughts fully using his own language and it is also helpful for the development of intellectual and thinking ability of children. He therefore, urged the government to preserve all endangered languages of indigenous communities of Bangladesh ​​including Manipuri language and to ensure their basic rights- right to education in their respective mother tongue. The program was presided over by Mr. Indrajit Singha, chairperson of ECDO. The other guest presented at that program were Mr. Jayanta Singha, Convener of Manipuri Cultural Complex, Sazzadul Haque Swapan, president of Bangladesh Manipuri Muslim Trust, N. Jugeshwar Apu, Manipuri artist and poet, and Nambram Shankar, general secretary of Manipuri Sahitya Sangsad.  Guest at that event thanked ECDO for implementing this education project, through which they have been supporting Manipuri children in learning Manipuri alphabets and language through Manipuri Language center (MLC) since last 8 years. They deeply remembered the valiant sons of the soil who made supreme sacrifices to establish the rights of the mother tongue, Bangla, in 1952 and expressed their hope that such activities of ECDO will inspire other indigenous communities to come forward to preserve their own language. Apart from them, Nilchand Singha, former Assistant General Manager of Agrani Bank, Sonaton Hamom, eminent Manipuri poet, Brinda Rani Singha, Shanta Kumar Singha and Konthoujam Shilpi, Assistant Manipuri teacher also delivered their valuable speech in that event. After the discussion session, guests distributed Manipuri text book Manipuri Lonadam Lairik published by ECDO along with other necessary education materials to more than hundred primary level Manipuri students who are reading in our Manpuri language centre..  Moreover, ECDO also provided face masks to all students and guardians for health protection during Covid-19 pandemic.