During a Durand Cup football match, East Bengal fans raised a powerful protest against the hateful labeling of Bengali speakers as “Bangladeshi.” Through a large banner in the stadium, they declared: “বাংলা ভাষা মানেই বাংলাদেশি নয়” (“Speaking Bengali doesn’t mean someone is Bangladeshi”). This protest was their strong reply to recent incidents of abuse and disrespect towards Bengali language speakers across different parts of India.
Protest in the Stadium, Not Just Support
On Wednesday at the Durand Cup match in Kolkata’s Yuva Bharati Krirangan, the crowd witnessed more than just football.
East Bengal fans came not only to support their team but also to protest a growing issue: the discrimination against Bengali language speakers in India.
They raised a massive tifo (a visual protest banner), boldly stating:
“বাংলা ভাষা মানেই বাংলাদেশি নয়”
Translation: “Speaking Bengali doesn’t mean someone is Bangladeshi.”
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Growing Attacks on Bengali Speakers
Recently, people speaking Bengali have faced harassment in several Indian states including Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Delhi.
Some were mocked as “Bangladeshi”, while a Delhi police officer allegedly called Bengali a “Bangladeshi language.”
These incidents led to massive anger on social media.
BJP Leader’s Statement Adds Fuel
To make matters worse, BJP leader Amit Malviya made a shocking comment:
“বাংলা নামে কোনো ভাষা নেই।”
Translation: “There is no language called Bengali.”
This remark triggered strong backlash across the Bengali-speaking community.
East Bengal Fans Respond With Passion
In response, East Bengal fans brought the protest to the football gallery.
They reminded everyone through the tifo that:
“বাংলা মায়ের ভাষা, বাংলাদেশি হলেই বাংলা বলতে হবে এমন কিছু না।”
Translation: “Bengali is our mother tongue; you don’t have to be Bangladeshi to speak Bengali.”
East Bengal – More Than a Football Club
East Bengal is not just a football team. It carries deep emotion and history, especially for those whose families came from East Bengal (now Bangladesh) after partition.
Because of this historical connection, some Mohun Bagan fans have mocked East Bengal fans by calling them “Bangladeshi” – a slur that was once ignored, but no more.
Now that the issue has gone national, East Bengal supporters chose to break their silence.
Not Their First Protest
This isn’t the first time the gallery turned into a place of resistance.
Earlier, during protests against NRC and CAA, fans showed another powerful message:
“এই মাটি কাগজে নয়, রক্তে কেনা।”
Translation: “This land wasn’t bought with papers, but with blood.”
Football Gallery Turns Into Voice of Protest
This latest protest proves again that a football stadium can be a space for resistance, not just entertainment.
East Bengal fans used their voice, their love for language, and their club to fight against disrespect and division.
Source: Kaler Kantho
