UPSC Prelims 2021 Q50: Current Affairs – International Organisations & Groupings
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation
International Mother Language Day and Bangla
| Statement | Claim | Verdict | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UNICEF declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day | FALSE | UNESCO (not UNICEF) declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day in November 1999 (30th UNESCO General Conference). |
| 2 | Bangla national language demand raised in Pakistan Constituent Assembly | TRUE | On 25 February 1948, in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, Dhirendranath Datta (Bengali Hindu member from East Bengal) demanded that Bangla be made a state language of Pakistan alongside Urdu. Rejection sparked the 1952 Bengali Language Movement in East Pakistan, leading to the 21 February commemoration. |
Only statement 2 is correct. Answer: (b).
The language martyrs of 21 February 1952 (Rafiq, Salam, Barkat, Jabbar, Shafiur) are commemorated by 21 February as Mother Language Day.
Answer: (b) 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. UNESCO (not UNICEF) declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day.
- (b) CORRECT. Only statement 2 is correct - Dhirendranath Datta raised the Bangla-as-national-language demand on 25 February 1948 in Pakistan's Constituent Assembly. Statement 1 confuses UNESCO with UNICEF.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 1 is wrong (UNESCO, not UNICEF).
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 2 is a documented fact.
Key point
21 February = International Mother Language Day (declared by UNESCO 1999, NOT UNICEF). Commemorates 1952 Bengali Language Movement martyrs in East Pakistan. Bangla-as-national-language demand raised by Dhirendranath Datta in Pakistan Constituent Assembly on 25 Feb 1948.
Remember
21 February is declared as International Mother Language Day by UNESCO (not UNICEF, so statement 1 wrong). The demand for Bangla as a national language of Pakistan was raised by Dhirendranath Datta on 25 February 1948 in the Pakistan Constituent Assembly (statement 2 correct). Answer: (b) 2 only.
Common mistakes
- Confusing UNESCO (education, culture, science - International Mother Language Day) with UNICEF (children's welfare - Children's Day 20 November).
- Not knowing the historical link between Bengali Language Movement 1952 and Bangladesh's later 1971 Liberation War.
- Confusing 21 February 1952 (police firing killed language protesters at Dhaka University) with the 1948 demand in Constituent Assembly.
Exam tip
UN observance days: UNESCO = Mother Language Day (21 Feb), World Heritage Day (18 Apr). UNICEF = Children's Day (20 Nov). WHO = World Health Day (7 Apr). UNEP = World Environment Day (5 Jun). Match agencies to observance days carefully.
Sources
- UNESCO - International Mother Language Day (Resolution 30 C/DR.35, 1999)
- Government of Bangladesh - Bhasha Andolon Historical Documentation