I’ve thought about writing in Bangla on the net, i.e., e-mails / blogs etc, but been too lazy to make an effort. I ought to.

BTW, I want to do it, not because I don’t know English (which I do, to a degree) – but because Bangla is still my natural language and I “think” in Bangla. And I communicate with mostly people in that same category.

I shared this opinion on a friends’ FB status and somehow, and quite abruptly, the thread turned into “Bangla vs English”.

My idea of using Bangla as a Language was not meant to be a political stand or anything like that. Bangla happens to be primary language and a lot of the people I communicate with on the net come from similar background as mine. So, communicating in Bangla just is a natural choice. Or so it seems to me.

I am quite confident that Bangla will survive and strive for a long time, just like it has done for so long. Both the language and the culture is rich enough to do this. Neither needs me, but I need both (the language and the culture). They, and my religion, my philosophy, my beliefs etc together define who I am.

Just as Bangla in a part of me, so is English. But while Bangla is near and dear to me – English is a necessity and a convenience. Being able to communicate in English has allowed me to come to the US and establish a life for me and my family. But learning English it in the first place was a choice.

– manzoor