Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the mother tongue should not be lost in the name of keeping pace with modernism and worldwide advancement.
"We never want the mother tongue to be lost under the stress of civilisation," she said.
The Prime Minister made the remarks while inaugurating the three-day International Bengali Literature Conference-1424 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Saturday.
She mentioned that the roots of all the people of Bangladesh are Bangla, Bangla language and literature. "Our independence and the address of the self-identity are engrossed in Bangla."
The Prime Minister said the more the society is enriched in literature, the more it is civilised. "Our Bengali literature also has very deep roots and that's why it has secured its dignified position in the world arena."
The Prime Minister said attacks were made on Bangla in many ways but the Bangalees resisted those.
"Bangladesh is the only country in the subcontinent that emerged through a language movement," she said.
The Prime Minister said the Bengalee nation never bows down its heads and does not know how to do this. "So, we've to move in the world keeping our heads high," she said.
Hasina hoped that the literature conference will enrich the literatures of different languages through the exchange and sharingof ideas and experiences of litterateurs. "The Bengali literature will get enriched further with the arrangement of such literary event," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the practice of literature flourishes the good senses within human beings, opens up the door of their unbound potential and encourages people to establish society based on justice.
Litterateur Rabeya Khatun, general secretary of Nikhil Bharat Banga Sahittya Sammilon Jayonta Ghosh, vice-president Pradip Bhattachariya and vice-president of Friends Bangladesh, India Sattyam Roy Chowdhury, among others, addressed the opening ceremony.
Professor Emeritus of Dhaka University and convener of the conference organising committee Dr Anisuzzaman priseded over the meeting.
Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor recited from the poem of Syed Shamsul Haque and chief coordinator of the conference organising committee Nasiruddin Yusuff Bachchu delivered the welcome address.
Over 300 litterateurs, poets, writers and intellectuals from across the world, including India, the USA and Germany, are attending the conference, while books translated in different languages and little magazines have been put display for sale on the Bangla Academy premises.