Catholics in Mymensingh diocese in northeastern Bangladesh say they need to help the tribal Garo language survive the onslaught of the predominantly local Bengali culture.

“The dominance of Western and Bengali language and culture and the serious lack of attention from Garo people has placed the survival of the language at risk,” diocesan liturgical and cultural commission secretary Father Peter Rema,  himself a Garo, told a local educators’ workshop.

He was addressing 42 Garo teachers from 13 parish schools at a specialized Achik or  Garo language training workshop in Mymensingh on Aug. 17-19.

Following a recent government decision to allow indigenous children to study in their mother tongue in primary school, the diocese will introduce the Garo language in schools across the diocese.

Previously, Bangladeshi children studied in English and Bengali since the time of colonial British rule.

“Historically, the Garo people were ruled by either British, Pakistani or Bengali people,” said Torpon Ghagra, a Garo researcher and one of the trainers.

“These rulers never felt the necessity of preserving our language or to prescribe it in textbook format for children,” he said. “We the Garo must also take the blame for not trying to preserve the language,” Ghagra continued.

He said he is hopeful about the diocesan efforts but still has reservations about the government plan. “We ourselves have to preserve and practice our mother tongue,” he insisted. “I’m afraid if we leave everything to the government they will try to use Bengali fonts for the language instead of traditional Roman fonts,” he said.

However, Father Camillus Rema, secretary of diocesan education commission, expressed confidence in the program planned by the diocese.

“Introducing our mother tongue in the school education system will ensure the survival of our language and culture,” he said.

“Now our children will be more interested to know about their roots and cultural heritage.”

There are 45 ethnic indigenous groups making up about 3 million of total population of the country. There are about  130,000 Garo people, most of them  Catholics.

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