A poet once posed the question: “Pause and think for a moment—why do birds sing?” A bird’s song is not merely a matter of aesthetics—it is a tool of survival. Science tells us that through their calls birds signal danger, attract mates, and arrange reproduction.
Thus, song is their social contract, their bridge of communication, an essential necessity of life. Now, if a species were to forget that song, what might be its fate?
The Regent Honeyeater of southeastern Australia was once known as a songbird. Today, its population has dwindled to around three hundred. Research shows that due to isolation and declining numbers, young birds can no longer learn the traditional melodies; they sing incorrect tunes, or sometimes do not sing at all.
As a result, mate selection is disrupted, reproduction declines, and the species becomes further endangered. This raises a question: did endangerment cause the loss of song, or did the loss of song lead to endangerment? Whatever the equation, one truth is clear—without language, existence itself becomes fragile.
If a nation loses the ability to speak in its own language, the natural flow of its thought is obstructed, its sense of identity weakens, and social cohesion begins to crumble. History also bears witness: whenever there is a silent attempt to undermine a nation, the first blow is often struck against its language.
A mother tongue is the primary foundation of human thought and consciousness. Psychology and linguistics affirm that a child’s cognitive development occurs most naturally through the mother language. Education in the mother tongue fosters creativity, builds confidence, and strengthens social inclusion.
In contrast, linguistic alienation creates mental stress, identity crises, and social division. Those who abandon their own language and hide behind another may align with a narrow elite, but they lose connection with the broader community.
Language is not merely a collection of words—it carries history, proverbs, folklore, music, and literature. Of the nearly 7,000 languages in the world, many stand on the brink of extinction. Linguists predict that over the next century, thousands of languages may disappear.
The Language Movement of 1952 proved that compromise over one’s mother tongue is tantamount to surrender. That very struggle later inspired the quest for independence. The sacrifice made for this language is rare in world history—this is why 21 February has been recognized as International Mother Language Day.
Yet in modern times, we face a new challenge. In the early days of technology, the lack of facilities for writing in Bengali script led to the habit of writing Bangla in Roman letters. During the Pakistan era, attempts were made to impose Arabic or Roman scripts for Bangla, but public resistance defeated those efforts. Ironically, in the digital age, out of ignorance or convenience, we sometimes choose that very path ourselves.
However, technology has also opened the door to liberation. Unicode, Bengali keyboards, Avro, and phonetic systems like Gboard have made writing Bangla easier than ever. Therefore, the space for excuses is shrinking. Writing Bangla sentences in Bangla script is not merely a matter of taste—it is a matter of responsibility.
In the age of globalization, the importance of learning English or other languages is undeniable. But that necessity should not become an excuse to devalue the mother tongue.
Friedrich Schiller warned that a nation that cannot preserve its language cannot preserve its identity. Bangla is one of the largest mother tongues in the world; yet in this competitive era, maintaining its dignity requires conscious practice, research, and technological adaptation.
The tragic story of the Regent Honeyeater offers us a symbolic lesson. When birds lose their song, they lose their mates; when they lose their mates, the species declines. Therefore, by adapting Bangla to technology, using it correctly in daily practice, and keeping it vibrant for future generations, we fulfill our duty.
