Overview

The Language Movement of 1952 in Bangladesh held significance in the struggle for Bengali identity, and its lasting impact on Bengali nationalism and international recognition of language rights. This lesson plan was created to bring attention to and understand the historical value of the Language Movement in Bangladesh.

Objectives of this lesson are as follows:

1) Readers will understand the historical context of Bangladesh, including events such as The Battle of Plassey in 1757 and The Partition of India in 1947, and how these events shaped the region's trajectory, influencing language policies.

2) The struggle for language recognition and identity is a significant theme.

3) The departure of foreign authorities in 1971 allowed Bangladesh to pursue cultural sovereignty.

4) Readers will learn how the Bangla language was crucial in transforming East Pakistan into an independent nation.

5) Readers will understand the language policies and their impact on society as an essential whole.

Lesson Plan:

There will be a timeline account of different dates and an explanation of their significance in Bangladesh's history. Students are encouraged to read these with the questions above in mind, and at the end of each section, there will be an interactive activity and/or questionnaire for students to dive into.

To start off, students can watch this video, "Documentary International Mother Language Day" for historical context and to get interested in the topic: