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Happy Birthday Ayushi!
Happy Birthday Ayushi!
Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me!
Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Ayushi...
[Speaking in Hindi] What just happened! That scared me!
Oh Baba! She's speaks Hindi!
This tea is delicious, by the way!
Tell me about it, Bhabi. We send the girl to such a good English school.
We tell her to practice speaking English at home
but all she does is watch that "Doremon" cartoon. She's learned Hindi from there, and now she it's just Hindi and Hindi all day.
Aren't you teaching her Bangla?
Oh, we don't worry too much about her learning Bangla ...
Oh, hi, Arko, you've come! The food is laid out, please help yourself!
Ayushi, your teacher has come! Give him some cake!
No thanks, Aunty, I've already eaten.
Since we won't be studying today, I'll just come back tomorrow?
Goodbye.
["Doremon" cartoon playing in Hindi]
Ayushi, your teacher's come! Get the door!
Ayushi, how are you?
I'm good.
Good! Didn't you have Bengali test today? How did it go?
Not bad ... you know Bengali's a very difficult language. I don't like it at all!
Come now Ayushi, don't say that.
Isn't Bengali your mother tongue?
But my mom doesn't like Bengali very much. She wants me to speak in English.
Ayushi, there's nothing wrong in learning English. But Bengali is our own language.
Did you know that our people sacrificed their lives for the Bengali language?
Why did they give their lives, Sir?
Because Ayushi, the Pakistanis wanted us to speak in Urdu. They wanted the Bengali language to be forgotten.
But the people of our country did not accept that. They protested, they went out on the streets and rallied.
At that time, the Pakistanis shot and killed a lot of people
But, sir, I think those people were very foolish.
I already speak in Hindi, what difference would it make if I spoke Urdu?
What's the matter, Arko? Are you OK?
What's going on, little brother? A matter of health ... or the heart?
Come on Partho Bhai, don't bother him. You're too old to understand what goes in the hearts of these kids anyway.
Yes, yes, Arko. [In Hindi:] Tell us the tale of your sorrow-filled heart!
Just tell us already! Or are you just pretending?
Oh, stop it! I think he's actually sad about something.
Come on Arko, what's going on?
I don't get it, everyone speaks in English and Hindi these days.
I don't think Bengali is going to remain our language for long.
Oh boy, what's wrong with our language revolutionary now?
Everywhere I go, all I hear are foreign languages!
My student even asked me the other day, what was the use of the Language Movement?
And I'm wondering the same thing. What did we gain from all that?
You know what? Why worry about something that happened 60 years ago?
That's right! Stop living in the past!
Hindi, English, Bengali ... [in Hindi:] Everything goes!
Now don't get me started!
You're going to live in Bangladesh, and speak in English and Hindi?! That won't do!
Hey! He's already sad. All of you stop bugging him.
Arko, don't be sad. Come on, let's get you something to eat.
[Watching Hindi TV show]
Hey! What's this junk you're watching?
What? Did you just call my favorite TV show junk?
What else should I call it? Can't you watch something in Bengali?
What should I watch? Your Bengali movies with Jalil?
Hmph! Here comes the Bengali hero! Get out of here!
So Rupom, how was your flight?
It was okay, but it was pretty long.
Oh, is that right?
Where's Ayushi?
Ayushi, lunch is ready, bring your teacher and come to eat!
Come, Ayushi.
Hi Bhaiya! - Hello!
Come, Arko, sit.
Arko, let me introduce you. This is my sister's son, Rupom.
He lives in the States, he was born and brought up there!
And this is Arko, Ayushi's private tutor. He studies at a university here.
Ayushi, eat properly! - I am!
Aunty, the vegetable is really good.
Oh wow, you've cooked ilish fish too!
Oh, yes, this is ilish. But ... I'm so sorry, you won't be able to eat it, it's got a lot of bones!
Why don't you try some chicken?
What are you saying?! I love ilish!
Really? You can pick out the bones?
Why wouldn't I?!
Hey Bhaiya, it's ... strange.
How can you speak in Bengali? Doesn't everyone in America speak in English?
Well, shouldn't I be able to? Bengali is my own language!
- And my father says, Bengali is our identity.
- So when we speak at home, we speak in Bengali.
And it's the same with people of other countries living in America.
When they speak among themselves, they all speak in their own language.
You know, you're absolutely right. It was really very nice to hear you say that.
Living in Bangladesh, we sometimes forget these things.
Rupom, do you want some more rice?
Ayushi, dear, can you put on a Bengali song? It's been a long time since I've heard a Bengali song.
OK.
Do you like this one?
It's very nice, dear.
Ayushi, dear, from now on let's speak in Bengali, OK?
[In Bengali:] OK!
[Singing: I sing in Bangla, I sing the songs of Bangla.]
[When I search for my soul, I find myself in Bangla.]
Well, Arko, you're looking happy today! You were quite sad the other day.
Actually the other day I was stunned by my student's question. I had no answer for her.
I was wondering: if those who gave their lives in 1952 could see us today, how would they feel?
Would they think that their sacrifice was a mistake?
Think about it, our country is called Bangladesh, it's named after the Bangla language.
How many other countries are named after their language?
The last few days, I was quite distraught. It felt like the Bengali language was being forgotten little by little.
But then I realized there's really no reason to worry so much.
Think about it. Today we can read Bengali all over the Internet.
Even Bengalis living abroad are teaching their children Bengali.
Here, look at these kids. Look how soulfully they're singing in Bengali!
No, now I'm truly hopeful.
Our new generation has not forgotten Bangla, and they never will.