International Bengali Language Council Celebrates Manbhum Day in Agartala

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, November 1, 2026

The Agartala Advisory Chowmuhani branch of the International Bengali Language Council celebrated Manbhum Day on Sunday, November 1, with a programme honouring the martyrs and participants of the historic Manbhum Language Movement and highlighting the importance of preserving the dignity of the Bengali language.

The programme began at 11 am with tributes to the martyrs, followed by the ceremonial lighting of a lamp and an inaugural song. The event was presided over by Samar Chakraborty, president of the branch.

Prominent social worker and educationist Rita Roy Majumder and the council’s vice-president, Kaushik Bhowmik, addressed the gathering and discussed the historical significance of Manbhum Day and the sacrifices made by those who fought to protect their mother tongue.

Poet Uma Ghosh recited poetry, while Tapasi Debbarma, Mousumi Debbarma, Subhadra Debbarma, Supriya Modak, Parvati Modak and Niharika Debbarma participated in musical performances. Branch secretary Sanchari Debbarma and artist Mousumi Debbarma presented dance performances as part of the cultural programme.

Manbhum Day commemorates the struggle of Bengali-speaking people in the erstwhile Manbhum district, then part of Bihar, to preserve their linguistic and cultural identity and secure the district’s incorporation into West Bengal.

The Manbhum Language Movement, which continued from 1912 to 1956, was a prolonged and courageous struggle against linguistic discrimination. Despite severe hardships and repression, the movement’s participants remained committed to protecting their Bengali identity and the right to use their mother tongue.

The day serves as a reminder that the struggle for the dignity of the Bengali language was not confined to Bangladesh or the language movement in Silchar, Assam. The people of Manbhum also made significant sacrifices to defend their linguistic rights.

The International Bengali Language Council’s Udaipur branch has been observing Manbhum Day for several years. This year, the Agartala Advisory Chowmuhani branch organised the celebration for the first time, with its members participating in a series of commemorative and cultural activities.

The programme underscored the importance of remembering the sacrifices of language movement activists and passing on the history of the Manbhum struggle to future generations.

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