Language movement and self-identity of Bengali: A General Overview

uring the British rule, the Muslims of Bengal demanded a separate independent Muslim state to establish their lost rights. In response to the demand, the British government provided an independent state called Pakistan for the Muslims. But after the establishment of Pakistan, it announced the establishment of Urdu as the state language, excluding Bengali, the mother tongue of the majority of the people of Pakistan. In this, the Bengalis started a movement to protect their mother tongue, Bengali. It was through this movement that nationalism was born among the Bengalis. Therefore, this study has tried to show how the identity of the Bengalis was established through the language movement.