‘Bornomala’: A visual lesson on Bengali language

"How many of today's generation would be able to name the 11 vowels and 40 consonants of the Bengali alphabet correctly?" asked Salma Adil, CFO of 'Top of Mind', to the audience. That brings to mind, how many of us know about the many other languages spoken in our country? Bangla, Lusai, Hajong, Meitei, Khasi, how many can you ultimately name?

On May 11, "Bornomala", a unique exhibition showcasing typography and calligraphy in different forms and languages of Bangladesh, was inaugurated at the Liberation War Museum premises.  An initiative by Krayonmag, a distinctive publishing and social storytelling platform, the exhibition has been organized in partnership with UNDP, Backpage PR, and Volunteer Opportunities.  The inauguration ceremony was graced by the likes of renowned novelist, Selina Hossain, poetess Gulshan E Yasmin, UNDP manager Rebecca Sultana, Lion MJF Salma Adil, and more. 

While Bangla is the language predominantly spoken in this country, the official language of Bangladesh is often seen to be anglicized and its pronunciations misconstrued. On the other hand, there are numerous indigenous languages at the risk of becoming extinct. '"Bornomala" was conceived with the aim to preserve all these languages and capture their beauty in the form of art. 

"We fought for our language. It is our responsibility to protect and preserve it. We cannot lose our alphabets due to lack of preservation." said Selina Hossain, the current president of Bangla Academy.

The exhibition features calligraphy and typography by several artists from Bangladesh as well as India including Arup Baul, Jannatul Ferdous, Shubhra Dhar, Abdul Baten Sarkar, Manowar Hussain Shah, Md. Morsalin Bin Kashem, Obaidullah Omar, Upal Roy Chowdhury, and Mehnaz Tabassum.

 "I was very surprised that an exhibition showcasing languages would be arranged. It is one of a kind," said one of the artists, Md. Morsalin Bin Kashem. Mehnaz Tabassum, another participant, said, "There are many lettering artists who wait for such opportunities and we need to reach out to conserve and display this form of art."

 A section of the exhibition has been dedicated to sarees showcasing lettering on the fabric. Sustainable fashion activist, Faiza Faria Ahmed, the owner of Manas and the designer of the sarees said, "You would find a huge crowd in fairs of entrepreneurs who sell sarees but exhibitions like these are important with a social cause to preserve our cultural heritage."

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The three-day exhibition will conclude today, May 13, at Liberation War Museum, Agargaon, Dhaka.