Sir — This refers to the article, “language of culture, not terror” (February 5) by Navin Suri.
The author states that Urdu has been branded as the mother-tongue of a particular group. But this particular group wanted it that way. Therefore, others need not be blamed. The author confuses language, which is a medium of communication, with culture, by calling Urdu a way of life. Mother- tongue is neutral, like the knife of a surgeon that saves life or that of an assassin that takes it away.
The author mentions the unifying power of Urdu. May I ask what was its role in the transformation of East Pakistan to the new state of BangladeshIJ