Language Movement in the Western Border: In Search of the Role of Women

Shanta Patranobish

Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Dhaka

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59815/bhs.vol2808

Abstract: The Language Movement of 1948-1952 was not merely an expression of the demand for language; it was also intertwined with the socio-economic, political, and cultural existence of the people of East Bengal. At every stage of this struggle against the Pakistani rulers, women actively and diversely participated. Women played a significant role not only in Dhaka, the epicenter of the language movement, but also in various distant bordering districts and sub-districts. Female students from schools and colleges, as well as ordinary women, made noticeable contributions. The conservative society of that time did not see women's participation in street protests and movements as normative behavior. Familial obstacles added to social conservatism. Nevertheless, despite all barriers presented by a backward society, women participated in the movement for the dignity of the mother tongue. Considering the socio-cultural circumstances of that time, it was not easy. While some research has been done on the women involved in the language movement in Dhaka and other divisional cities, the role of the women of various districts on the western border of the eastern wing of Pakistan went largely unnoticed by scholars. Many of their names are still unknown. The comprehensive history of the language movement cannot be written without acknowledging the contributions of women of all classes and locations involved in this movement. The primary purpose of this paper is to find answers to what role the women of the western bordering districts played in the language movement, what was the backlash they faced for participating in the movement and how the contributors have been evaluated by the greater society including the state. To do so, the research utilizes both primary and secondary sources. Autobiographies, newspapers, books and scholarly articles are the basis of this paper. Following a historical analytical research method, this qualitative research paper concludes with the findings that in the language movement, there was multi-faceted and significant participation of women in every bordering district of the western part of the then eastern Pakistan. However, while some women have been recognized, a considerable number of them, especially from rural areas remain unnoticed and neglected.

Key Words: Women, Language Movement, Cultural exploitation, Western border, Marginalisation.