Bangla: Why I'll always speak my mother language while building a life in Canada

Itrat Anwar, a Bangladeshi-born resident of Steinbach, Manitoba, writes that speaking Bangla connects her to home, memory and history, and she notes Feb. 21 is observed as International Mother Language Day.

Itrat Anwar, originally from Bangladesh and now living in Steinbach, Manitoba, reflects on keeping Bangla as her mother tongue while building a life in Canada. She writes that hearing Bangla softens her and that the language shaped how she learned love, respect and care. The piece recalls the 1952 student protests tied to the recognition of a mother language and notes Feb. 21 is observed as International Mother Language Day by UNESCO. It also describes family efforts to teach children multiple languages, including Bangla and Ukrainian, alongside English and plans to include French and some Indigenous words. Key points: - Itrat Anwar is a Bangladeshi-born resident of Steinbach, Manitoba, and the article is written in first person. - She describes Bangla as the language of emotion, memory and belonging that connects her to home. - The article cites the 1952 student protests and notes Feb. 21 is observed worldwide as International Mother Language Day, recognized by UNESCO. - Bengali (Bangla) is reported as spoken by nearly 300 million people and is one of the world's most spoken languages. - Anwar describes teaching her children Bengali and Ukrainian, mentions children mixing languages naturally, and says the family also values English and plans to expose them to French and some Indigenous words. Summary: The essay presents language as a personal and cultural anchor for immigrants and emphasizes the importance the author places on passing mother tongues to the next generation. Undetermined at this time.