Why did Bengali speakers oppose Urdu as Pakistan’s only official language?

Bengali speakers opposed the imposition of Urdu as the sole official language of Pakistan primarily because it marginalized their own language, which was the mother tongue of the majority of the population in East Pakistan.12

When Pakistan was formed in 1947, the country was geographically divided into two wings—West Pakistan and East Pakistan—separated by approximately 1,000 miles of Indian territory. Despite Bengali being the predominant language of the East, the central government in West Pakistan attempted to impose Urdu as the only national language in 1948.12

This move was viewed as a discriminatory measure that sought to impose a singular identity on a linguistically and culturally diverse nation. The decision sparked widespread protests throughout East Pakistan, leading to the historic Language Movement. The struggle for linguistic recognition reached a tragic climax in 1952 when police killed several student demonstrators. Following years of persistent protest, the government eventually recognized both Bengali and Urdu as national languages in 1956.21