Synopsis
Hearings at the Calcutta High Court were conducted in Bengali to commemorate International Mother Language Day, showcasing respect for linguistic diversity. Justice Biswasjit Basu led the proceedings, with many lawyers cooperating in the Bengali language.Key Takeaways
- Majority of hearings in Bengali
- Justice Biswasjit Basu initiated hearings in Bengali
- High cooperation from legal representatives
- International Mother Language Day origins from Bangladesh
- UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day
Kolkata, Feb 21 (NationPress) On Friday, the majority of hearings at the Calcutta High Court's single-judge bench presided by Justice Biswasjit Basu were conducted entirely in Bengali to honor International Mother Language Day.
Justice Basu had previously indicated his intention to conduct hearings in Bengali whenever feasible during a case hearing on Thursday.
As a result, most arguments presented in the cases on Friday were articulated in Bengali, with exceptions made for cases where language posed a challenge.
The legal representatives for various parties showed remarkable cooperation during the hearings, striving to deliver their arguments and submissions in Bengali as much as possible.
Previously, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, a current BJP Lok Sabha member from the Tamluk constituency in East Midnapore, had also advocated for conducting hearings in Bengali during his tenure as a judge at the Calcutta High Court on International Mother Language Day.
The successful execution of this initiative took place at Court Number 19 of the Calcutta High Court, which is presided over by Justice Basu.
International Mother Language Day has its origins in neighboring Bangladesh. On February 21, 1952, the Bengali-speaking populace in the then East Pakistan initiated a movement advocating for the recognition of the Bengali language.
On November 17, 1999, UNESCO officially declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day.
Later, in 2002, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing this day.
The primary goal of celebrating this day is to foster awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and promote multilingualism. Aside from West Bengal, this day is also observed in several other states with significant Bengali-speaking populations, such as Assam, Tripura, Jharkhand, and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
