May 25, 2025 | Jamshedpur: The Jharkhand Banglabhashi Unnayan Samiti held its state-level conference at Hotel Misty Inn, with representatives from Bengali-speaking organizations across all districts of Jharkhand.
The conference raised serious concerns about the growing marginalization of the Bengali language and community in the state. A 15-point resolution was passed, with key demands including:
- Practical implementation of Bengali as the state’s second official language
- Resumption of Bengali-medium education in schools
- Immediate supply of Bengali textbooks and appointment of Bengali teachers
- Establishment of a Bengali Academy in Jharkhand
- Construction of memorials for prominent Bengali personalities
- Reversal of the decision to remove Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee’s name from the university
State Joint Secretary Kabu Dutta stated that government policies over the last 25 years have systematically sidelined the Bengali-speaking population. He emphasized that Bengali speakers would no longer tolerate the erasure of their identity.
A statewide Bangla Awareness Campaign was launched on May 19 and is being conducted in 150 blocks and over 25,000 villages, focusing on the rural and underprivileged Bengali-speaking communities.