Dhirendranath Datta

Dhirendranath Datta (2 November 1886 – disappeared 29 March 1971) was a Bengali lawyer and politician from East Bengal who was a member of the 1st Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. He is best known for proposing Bengali for the national language of Pakistan in the Assembly. He was also active in the politics of undivided Bengal in pre-partition India. Quotes I know, sir, that Bengali is a provincial language, but, so far our state is concerned, it is the language of the majority of the people of the state and it stands on a different footing. Out of six crores and ninety lakhs of people inhabiting this state, four crores and forty lakhs of people speak the Bengali language. So, sir what should be the state language of the state Pakistan? The state language of the state should be the state language which is used by the majority of the people of the state, and for that, sir, I consider that Bengali language is lingo franca of our state.... So we are to consider that in our state it is found that the majority of the people of the state do speak the Bengali language, then Bengali should have an honored place even in the central government. Dhirendranath Datta. On February 25, 1948, at the first session of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan held in Karachi. External links Category:1886 births Category:1971 deaths Category:Bengali language activists Category:History of East Pakistan Category:People from Brahmanbaria district