ভাষা আন্দোলন থেকে মুক্তিযুদ্ধ: পূর্ববঙ্গে মধ্যবিত্তের বিকাশ (Language Movement to Liberation War: The Progress of Middle Class in East Bengal)

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) organized the Abdul Ghafur Memorial Lecture on 22 March 2023, Wednesday in the BIDS Conference Room. Dr. Atiur Rahman, Honorary Professor, Development Studies Department, University of Dhaka, Former Bangabandhu Chair Professor, University of Dhaka, and Former Governor, Bangladesh Bank, delivered his lecture on “ভাষা আন্দোলন থেকে মুক্তিযুদ্ধ: পূর্ববঙ্গে মধ্যবিত্তের বিকাশ (Language Movement to Liberation War: The Progress of Middle Class in East Bengal)”. The lecture was held in a hybrid mode.

According to Dr. Rahman, Bangladesh has made impressive progress in the last 14 years in many economic indicators, which reflect the political policies of Bangabandhu. After Independence, Bangabandhu adopted three very important policies that were timely and appropriate. The policies were raising food production, controlling the population, and emphasizing the right to public education. He said the aspirations that inspired Bengalis, from the language movement to the war of liberation in the independent country, were reflected in the political policies of Bangabandhu. He mentioned that Bangabandhu wanted to build a hopeful generation with an independent country and took many initiatives to build a good nation, including a constitution of the independent country based on nationalism, socialism, democracy, and secularism, roadmap for self-reliance and inclusive development in the First Five Year Plan, Kudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission to build hopeful generation with independent country, prioritize restructuring and development of agriculture as the powerhouse of the economy and the gradual development of individual entrepreneurs in the industrial sector starting with state patronage. Based on the capital of deep connection and understanding with the people, Bangabandhu was able to inspire the people of this country in the golden journey of the independent country from the language movement to the liberation war, he added.

BIDS researchers, academics, and the wider community attended the event. Dr. Binayak Sen, Director General of BIDS, presided over the lecture.