Language movement hero Dhirendranath Datta’s home dilapidated despite assurances

The family house of Dhirendranath DattaUNB

The family house of Dhirendranath Datta, the unsung hero of Language Movement, remained neglected for long due to the local administration’s negligence.

Martyr Dhirendranath Datta, a language activist and politician, used to live in Dharmapasha in Cumilla city, but now the house is on the verge of collapse.

In 2010, the information and cultural affairs minister visited the house and said steps would be taken to preserve the house and transform it into ‘Language Movement Hero Dhirendranath Datta Memorial Museum’ but no steps have been taken as yet.

Local people have demanded steps to renovate the house and initiative to open a language museum to share the true history of the language movement to the next generation.

In the Pakistan Constituent Assembly session held on 23 February 1948, Datta demanded the use of Bangla along with English and Urdu for conducting its proceedings.

He also served time in jail several times for his role in the Language Movement.

Dhirendranath Datta and his son Dilipkumar Datta, were arrested on the night of 29 March 1971 from the house in Dharmasagar in Cumilla and taken to Mainamati Cantonment and was tortured to death.

Since then, the infrastructure of the house has been broken. After seeing the house now, there is no way to tell that a famous veteran politician of undivided Pakistan used to live here.

Ahsanul Kabir, a cultural personality, said “The house of Dhirendranath Datta is not only for the people of Cumilla but also the pride of all people across the country. But it is unfortunate that, the house is lying in a dilapidated condition.”

He also stressed the need for the government’s initiative to preserve the house.

Advocate Nazmul Bari Chowdhury, member secretary of Martyr Dhirendranath Datta Memorial Council, said, “We have taken so many movements in different times demanding preservation of the house. We also submitted a memorandum to the prime minister through the deputy commissioner but to no avail.”

Cumilla City Corporation mayor Monirul Haque Sakku said, “It is not possible to do everything from the city corporation. Earlier, we constructed the stadium gate in the name of Dhirendranath Datta at a cost of Tk 2.2 million (22 lakh). If the families of Datta demand renovation of the house, the cultural affairs ministry will take steps to that end.”