BDF Welcomes Assam Sahitya Sabha Delegation’s Visit to Barak on Martyrs’ Day

The Barak Democratic Front (BDF) has extended a warm welcome to the Assam Sahitya Sabha delegation visiting Barak Valley on the occasion of Language Martyrs’ Day.

On May 19, 1961, eleven satyagrahis were martyred in the Barak Valley while protesting for the recognition of their mother tongue. Nearly 65 years later, for the first time, a delegation from the Assam Sahitya Sabha is visiting Barak Valley to pay homage to the martyrs. In addition to welcoming this visit, BDF has appealed to the delegation to raise some key demands of the Bengali-speaking population with the government.

Speaking at a press conference held at the BDF office, Chief Convenor Pradip Dutta Roy said that the Barak Democratic Front welcomes the decision of the Assam Sahitya Sabha to tour Barak Valley from May 17 to May 19. He expressed hope that this visit will play a significant role in resolving long-standing misunderstandings between the two linguistic communities of the Brahmaputra and Barak Valleys. He also mentioned that BDF had previously proposed holding an Assam Sahitya Sabha session in Barak and organizing a joint session of Bengali-speaking organizations in the Brahmaputra Valley. According to him, true harmony between the two linguistic communities can only be achieved through genuine cultural exchange, and this upcoming visit of the Assam Sahitya Sabha will contribute to that goal.

The BDF Chief Convenor further stated that the people of Barak Valley have long demanded the renaming of Silchar Railway Station to “Bhasha Shahid Station,” as it was stained with the blood of the language martyrs. Despite receiving approval from the central government and the railway ministry, the proposal has stalled due to the inaction of the Dispur administration. He called upon the Assam Sahitya Sabha officials to discuss this matter with the government and ensure a final announcement is made on May 19.

Pradip Dutta Roy also reminded that former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had proposed establishing a Language Martyrs Memorial Museum in honor of the martyrs. Funds were allocated for the project, and Assam University had donated five bighas of land. However, no further progress has been made. He urged the Assam Sahitya Sabha delegation to draw the government’s attention to this matter as well.

He added that the long-pending demand of granting Bengali the status of an official associate language of the state remains unresolved. While they commend the government for granting associate language status to the Bodo language, he emphasized that the same recognition should be extended to the Bengali-speaking population of the state. He believes that fulfilling these demands will genuinely make the Bengali-speaking people of the state happy and strengthen the bridge of linguistic harmony.

On the eve of Martyrs’ Day, BDF Media Cell Convenor Jaydeep Bhattacharya also welcomed the decision of the Assam Sahitya Sabha to visit Barak Valley and urged them to actively pursue the fulfillment of other democratic demands of the Bengali-speaking population of Barak and the state.

The news was conveyed via a press release issued by BDF Convenor Haradhan Dutta.

(This story has not been edited by News Mania staff and is published from a Media Release)