Bangla is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken in the little speck of land we all dearly call Bangladesh and in the state of West Bengal, parts of Assam and Tripura of India. With over 230 million speakers, it ranks as the 7th most spoken language in the world. Bangla uses its unique script, a variant of the Brahmic script. It is an “abugida,” meaning each character represents a consonant with an inherent vowel sound, which can be altered with diacritics. For example, the Devanagari script (used for languages like Bangla, Hindi, and Sanskrit) represents the consonant “ko.” Still, by adding different diacritical marks, one can change them to “ki,” “ku,” “ke,” and so on. It has a rich system of vowels and consonants, with various sounds influenced by regional dialects. Bangla also has a tonal system, though not as prominent as in some other regional dialects. The intonation and stress patterns vary across dialects like Old Dhaka, Sylheti, Mymensingh, Noakhali, Barisal, Chittagong and so on. Bangla grammar follows a “Subject-Object-Verb” (SOV) in the sentence structure. It also has “inflectional morphology,” where verbs are conjugated for tense, aspect, and mood, and nouns are declined for case. Bangla is also famous for its rich system of honorifics, particularly in addressing respectful elders or people in positions of authority. A brief description of Bangla and an analysis of the language, including the threat of it deteriorating, distorted from its pristine form, or even moving towards extinction if not taken care of, are highlighted below:

History and Evolution. The history of Bangla, like other Indo-Aryan languages, traces its origins to the Indo-European language family, which spread from the Indo-Iranian region around 1500 BCE to South Asia. To summarize its progression, it can be said that the language evolved from Indo-European roots ? Indo-Iranian ? Sanskrit influence ? Prakrit ? Apabhramsa ? Early Bengali (12th–13th century) ? Medieval Bengali (14th–16th century) ? Modern Bengali (19th century–present). Bangla's development is deeply tied to the cultural, political, and religious history of Bengal, a major center of culture in the Indian subcontinent. Scholars posit that the evolution was significantly influenced by Persian and Arabic, especially during the Muslim rule in Bengal. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Bangla underwent significant modernization, particularly in literature, during the Bengal Renaissance. The language became a key cultural symbol during the Bangla Language Movement of 1952, significantly contributing to Bangladesh's independence in 1971. The movement emphasized the importance of Bangla as the “mother tongue,” the “national language,” and a marker of distinctive cultural identity.

Cultural and Literary Importance. Bangla has a rich literary tradition, with significant works from poets and authors such as Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh, and Rabindranath Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. The language also has a robust folk literature (Charyapada, folk songs, and mystical ballads), poetry, and drama tradition. It is also called the language of literature and arts (Padmaboti by Alaol, Agneebeena by Nazrul, Geetanjali by Tagore, Amar Kotha by Farrukh Ahmed, Jibanananda Das’s Banalata Sen, etc.). Bangla remains a vital language for cultural expression in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India, with an active presence in poetry, music, drama and film. The regular recital and playing of especially Nazrul’s revolutionary poems and songs (Hamd and Nathe Rasul) during Ramadan, Eid festivals, and the recent monsoon revolution is a case in point, highlighting the integral role of Bangla in our cultural and literary landscape.

Social and Political Role. Bangla is our official language and a crucial element of our national identity. The Language Movement of 1952 marked a pivotal moment in Bangladesh's history. It was a time when students and activists protested the Pakistani government’s decision to impose Urdu as the sole national language. This decision sparked massive protests, with the supreme sacrifice of the students, and led to a strong commitment to preserving Bangla as the medium of instruction and governance. This movement, which emphasized the importance of Bangla as the "mother tongue, "the" national language," and a marker of distinctive cultural identity, played a significant role in shaping Bangladesh's social and political landscape.

Global Recognition. Bangla has gained recognition as a significant global language. It is one of the United Nation's official languages for celebrating International Mother Language Day (observed on February 21), commemorating the Bengali Language Movement 1952. This global recognition not only underscores the importance of Bangla but also connects its speakers to a larger international community.

Modern Usage and Influence. In today’s postmodern world, Bangla is actively used in social media, news outlets, and online education, with a growing presence on the internet. However, it faces competition from English in technological, scientific, and academic domains.

Adaptation to Technology. While historically not as dominant in digital spaces, there is a growing push to integrate Bangla into modern technology—with Bangla fonts being more accessible, localized content being produced, and Bangla websites expanding. The introduction of smartphones and online platforms in Bangla has helped maintain its relevance among younger generations.

Per contra, languages are living entities that evolve, but they can also face significant existential threats. When a language is threatened, it often means the community of speakers is endangered or the language is at risk of losing its relevance or even becoming extinct. Several factors contribute to the existential threats to languages, and Bangla is no exception. We must recognize these threats and take immediate steps to preserve our language.

Language Shift.  Language shift occurs when speakers of a language gradually adopt a different language, often due to social, economic, or political pressures. Over time, this shift can lead to the original language being abandoned in favor of a dominant language. This typically happens when younger generations no longer see the value in maintaining the language of their heritage. For example, communities might shift from their indigenous or regional language to a more globally dominant language (like Arabic, English, French, Mandarin, or Spanish), hoping for better social mobility, access to education, or economic opportunities. In many Indigenous languages across the globe, younger generations are increasingly shifting to national or global languages, leading to the erosion of the original language.

Colonialism and Political Suppression. Colonial powers historically imposed their languages on colonized people, often discouraging, distorting, or banning local languages. This suppression, coupled with establishing the colonial language as the language of administration, education, and trade, can significantly weaken native languages. Colonial policies promoted assimilation, requiring people to learn and use the colonizer’s language while minimizing excluding or outlawing native languages. The involuntary displacement of people and the forced relocation of communities also contributed to the erosion of the diversity of languages. For instance, in Australia, indigenous languages faced strong suppression during British colonization, resulting in many languages being lost or critically endangered.

Globalization and the Dominance of Major Languages. The intensification of globalization means that a few languages are becoming dominant in international commerce, education, science, media, and technology. As people increasingly rely on these global languages, lesser-spoken languages are marginalized. In the postmodern world, languages like Arabic, English, French, Spanish, and Mandarin are seen as essential for access to global markets, trade opportunities, and media, leading many people to abandon their native languages in favor of these global tongues. The Iñupiat language in Alaska faces threats from the increasing use of English, even though the language has deep cultural and historical significance for the Iñupiat people.

Loss of Intergenerational Transmission. Languages face a significant risk when they are no longer passed down from one generation to the next. This happens when younger people are either not taught the language or choose not to use it, and older speakers die without leaving fluent speakers behind. This often occurs when children are raised in a dominant language, such as English, for the Bangladesh diaspora living in Australia, England, or America and do not learn their ancestral or local language - Bangla. Cultural shifts, migration, or economic pressures can also lead to children's disconnection from their linguistic heritage. Despite efforts to revitalize the language in the Basque areas (a region in northern Spain and southwestern France), younger generations have historically been more inclined to use Spanish over Basque, leading to concerns about future generations not learning the language.

Social Stigma and Language Prestige. Some languages are seen as inferior or less prestigious compared to leading languages. This stigma can lead to losing confidence in using the language, making speakers reluctant to pass it on or use it in public life. People may perceive a local or indigenous language as a barrier to success and opt for a more dominant language for better social acceptance, job opportunities, or economic success. In Mexico, for instance, Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs) was once marginalized due to the negative perception of indigenous languages, leading many speakers to adopt Spanish instead.

Cultural Erosion. Language is intrinsically linked to culture, race, religion, traditions, and identity. As cultures erode, so does the language that is tied to them. Losing traditional practices, customs, or ways of life can make the language less relevant to modern society. Urbanization, the spread of modern technology, and the shift away from traditional lifestyles can relegate the cultural significance of the language, especially when it is no longer associated with daily life, rituals, or storytelling. Many indigenous languages in North America are at risk of disappearing because their associated cultural practices are no longer widely practiced or taught.

Technological Advances and the Digital Divide. As the digital world increasingly prevails in communication, languages not represented online or in technology face a disadvantage. Languages without digital presence risk becoming invisible and less relevant in the modern world. Many smaller or less spoken languages lack digital infrastructure like websites, social media presence, or software support. As a result, younger generations often default to more prominent online languages. Many African and Asian languages, including Bangla, struggle to find representation online or in global tech developments, leading to their decline in digital spaces.

Natural Disasters, War, and Displacement. War, forcible displacement, and natural disasters can destroy communities, disrupt cultural transmission, and lead to language loss. When people are forced to leave their homelands, they may no longer have the means to maintain their language. Large-scale involuntary migration, refugee crises, and civil wars often result in loss of community cohesion, and the need to integrate into a new society with a dominant language can lead to language abandonment. The civil war in Myanmar that triggered the Rohingya crisis and the Syrian refugee crisis has led many to adopt Chittagonian and Arabic dialects or even other languages spoken in host countries, sometimes leading to the erosion of native languages and identities.

Lack of Institutional Support. Without strong institutional support, such as education in the language, media representation, and government policies, languages can quickly fade. When a language is not used in schools, official documentation, or the media, its future survival is jeopardized. This often occurs when governments or institutions fail to recognize the linguistic rights of minority groups or actively discourage the use of specific languages in favor of the national or official language. Many indigenous languages are thus at risk of disappearing due to the lack of institutional support for their promotion and use in public life.

So, to sum up, Bangla is a dynamic and culturally rich language with significant historical, literary, and social importance, particularly in Bangladesh. While it faces challenges from global languages like English, its role as a medium of identity and cultural heritage in Bangladesh and West Bengal ensures it remains resilient. The efforts to revitalize Bangla in digital and educational spheres and its vigorous literary tradition continue reinforcing its cultural and political significance in the postmodern world.

The existential threats to a language are often interconnected and driven by internal and external factors. The survival of a language depends not only on the number of its speakers but also on the value placed on it within the broader social, economic, and political context. Efforts to revitalize endangered languages often involve a combination of education, cultural preservation, policy intervention, and creating spaces for the language to thrive in postmodern societies, including through digital representation and institutional support, lest we forget that languages are from the innumerable bounties of Allah Almighty, “who taught us speech,” that made us superior to all other creations!


Writer: Commodore Syed Misbah Uddin Ahmad, (C), NUP, ndc, afwc, psc, BN (retd), Director General, Bangladesh Institute of Maritime Research and Development (BIMRAD). Email: misbah28686@gmail.com