Dhaka, 21 February 2022: To encourage sustainable growth of local organizations, the Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh (EquityBD) urged for the use of local language in the development and humanitarian sectors. It made the call while commemorating International Mother Language Day.
EquityBD is a network of CSOs, NGOs and individuals towards promoting equity and justice in society.
In a statement, released today, EquityBD mentions that language distances create a wall of distinction between local organizations and foreign organizations. When a project or grant application is requested, all documentation asked in this regard is in English. As a result, local organizations feel pressured to drop out of the competition. Local organizations, on the other hand, may be able to complete the job more quickly and at a lesser cost.
In order to ensure the effective participation of local communities and local organizations in development activities, the process must be conducted in the local language. Local people and local organizations have to communicate in ‘our language’, and if they are forced to communicate in ‘their language’, it will first and foremost hurt the empowerment of the locals.
On this day of language day, the demand for the use of Bengali in all fields may be a real tribute to the martyrs. As there is an international commitment to the use of indigenous languages in development and humanitarian activities, the recommendation of local organizations, including local civil society, to give priority to mother tongue should be strongly emphasized everywhere.
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