Winners show off certificates awarded for competitions
Officials and guests of Mother Language Day
Staff welcome John Robertson and Julie Owens to the event
MEMBERS of the Bangladeshi community remembered the students who were killed fighting for their language at an International Mother Language Day event in Blacktown last Saturday.
The event included a book fair, art competition, handwriting competition and musical performance at Blacktown High School hall.
On February 21, 1952 students in Bangladesh, then in East Pakistan, were shot by police for demonstrating to have Bangla recognised as one of the two national languages in the country.
International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organisation in 1999.
The guests included Parramatta MP Julie Owens and state Opposition Leader John Robertson.
Mr Robertson said people should be allowed to learn different languages and believe in different religious practice as part of multicultural Australia.
A spokesman said Bangla Academy Australia recently ran a seminar on the language at Blacktown Boys High School where the academy runs a regular Sunday school since 2007.
It was conducted by director Anwar Akash and chaired by community leader Nazrul Islam.
‘‘Students from Bangla origin family who would like to learn the language are invited to enrol for the school,’’ he said.
You can get more information on Bangla Academy Australia’s website: www.banglaacademy.com or email: banglacademy@gmail.com.