Original version

BBC World Service Australasia

Witness History

Podcasts

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: History

History as told by the people who were there

History as told by the people who were there.

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

Witness History: The Bengali language movement

Documentaries

The Bengali language movement

13/12/2021 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, The Bengali language movement

How a march in defence of Bengali galvanised demands for an independent Bangladesh.

In February 1952 thousands marched in Dhaka in defence of the Bengali language. Eight protesters were shot dead by police in what became known as Language Movement Day.

In February 1952 thousands of people marched in Dhaka in defence of the Bengali language. Eight of the protesters were shot dead by police. It became known as Bangladesh's Language Movement Day. We hear from Abdul Gaffar Choudhury, one of the demonstrators, whose song about the protests became the anthem of the movement.

(Photo: Student demonstrators gather by Dhaka University, February 1952. Courtesy of Prof Rafiqul Islam and Liberation War Museum).

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Witness History

The Bengali language movement

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Australasia

About BBC World Service