Dear Perthbashi,
Standard and quality of BAAWA cultural presentations are always above any admirer’s commendation, so I usually do not comment on them. Thanks to Current Committee’s innovative thinking and wisdom, the Ancholic Debate is a new and unique addition, further enhanced by the moderator’s useful and informative comments on dying languages. I wish to add to that by quoting a ‘filler’ from Shamahar 2003 for our learned members’ information/recollection:
…..speak my language?
Ninety-eight percent Bangladeshis speak Bengali as their first language. Did you ever wonder what language(s) do the other two percent speak? Believe me, they speak a staggering 36 different languages; yes, thirty-six, not a printing mistake; these are: Arakanese, Assamese, Bishnupuria (Manipuri), Burmese, Chak, Chakma, Chin Asho, Chin Bawm, Chin Falam, Chin Haka, Chin Khumi, Chin Mro, Chittagonian, Darlong, Garo, Hajong, Ho, Khasi, Koch, Kok Borok, Kurux, Lushai, Megam, Meithei, Mru, Mundari, Paukhu, Rajbangshi, Riang, Sadri Oraon, Santali, Sandu, Sylheti, Tanchangya, Tippera, and Usui. Note that Chittagonian and Sylheti are listed as distinct languages, but Urdu is not listed. Probably, Urdu speakers did not identify them as Bangladeshis. (Source: Summer Institute of Linguistics, www.sil.org).
I would like BAAWA to consider in future presenting folk songs in regional dialects, depending on the availability of such artists, of course. We have had Sylheti songs, made easy by Hason Raja and Shah Abdul Karim, similar songs abound in Noakhali, Chittagonian, Rangpuri, Dinajpuri, etc & etc dialects. If we have such artists, they could be encouraged to come forward.
Aziz Islam
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