A day for Bangla Sign Language

Iftu Ahmed

February is the month of our historic language movement. Bangladesh commemorates February 21 as the Language Martyrs Day. The nation remembers those, who on this day in 1952, gave their lives for the linguistic right of the Bangals. Now the day is celebrated by the world as the International Mother Language Day.

February is also the month of Bangla Sign Language of people with speech and hearing disabilities.

Last year Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared February 1 Bangla Sign Language Day for the citizens of the country with speech and hearing disabilities. For the people with speech and hearing disabilities the day has undeniable importance. But the day is yet to be declared officially.

The observance of the Day of Sign Language Rights is not new. The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) celebrates every year the International Day of Sign Language Rights.

The day seeks to promote sign language and the right of deaf individuals to use sign language.

It promotes the right of deaf children to have early and full access to sign language.

The day is observed to encourage and support sign language research.

It promotes quality sign language teaching and interpretation and also ensures the availability of sign language in the media.

The Bangla Sign Language is the linguistic identity of more than two million noticeable deaf in Bangladesh. They want to observe Bangla Sign Language Day on February 1 to press their rights. The government should officially declare February 1, as the Bangla Sign Language Day. It would make a positive impact among the people with such disabilities.

At the same time it would provide the deaf the opportunity to commemorate the language martyrs in this historic month.