Nearly only 150 adibashi families of Rajshahi now speak in Mahaley language. On Monday, Mahaley community people observed their Mother Language Day through organising a rally, cultural function and offering floral tribute at the Shahid Minar at Damkurahat of Paba upazila.
According to sources, Maheley language is gradually being depleted from the country and only some 30,000 adibashi people talk through this language. In Rajshahi five schools have been established to teach the Mahaley children through their mother tongue. One of such school is situated in Damkura village. Pre-primary lesson is taught in this school. There having no specific letter of Mahaley language, Roman letters are used to write this language.
The Mahaley speaking people inaugurated their day's programme by lighting lamp on a plate. With a rally, they went to the Shahid Minar at Damkura College and offered floral tribute there. Afterwards they all thronged at the school singing songs and reciting poems in Mahaley language. The programme ended with a discussion meeting.
Presided over by Merina Hasda, President of Mahaley Language and Development Committee, the function was attended, among others, by Sristi Barey as the chief guest while Head of Digor Baishi of Godagari upazila attended as special guest, Micheal Mardi, General Secretary of Mahaley Language and Development Committee and David Richard Murmu.
Speakers at the function said, nearly 3o,000 adibashi people of the country talk in Mahaley language. The language was on the verge of extinction as there having no written letter of the language. The Mahaley community leaders in cooperation with local educationists started to write a book on Mahaley language using Roman script on March-9, 2006.
They day is observed as Mahaley Language day every year. They informed, one language is being extinct from the world every day. They were working so that no language becomes extinct from this world. They further said children felt easy to read in their mother tongue. Late Jakaria Dumuri took the initiative to save the language by introducing a written script of the language.
