AGARTALA, June 19 (TIWN): Addressing the 2-daylong seminar on Development of Bishnupriya Manipuri language at Muktodhara on Friday, Tapan Chakraborty, Minister for Education (School & Higher) stated that no one can stop the development of any language if the person who speaks this particular language takes the initiative for the development of the this language.

Speaking at the seminar Minister Tapan Chakroborty stated that Bishnupriya Manipuri is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in parts of the Indian states of Assam, Tripura and others, as well as in some region of Bangladesh, Burma, and other countries. The Bishnupriya Manipuri language uses the Bengali alphabet as its writing system.

State education department, Director of State Council of Education research and training (SCERT) along with the initiative of Department of Kokborok and other Minority language has jointly organized this seminar for the development of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language in the coming days. All together 36 schools are selected from the state for providing teachings on the importance of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language, said SCERT director Ratish Majumder in the seminar.

Literary laureate of this language from Assam and Bangladesh remained present in the program.

Minister Tapan Chakraborty further stated that an advisory committee was constituted few months back for the development of Bishnupriya Manipuri language and it was decided long back that a seminar would be held for promoting this Bishnupriya Manipuri language.

Bishnupriya Manipuri is spoken in parts of Assam and Tripura in India, in some region of Bangladesh, Burma, and in several other countries. It is different from many Indo-Aryan languages like Bengali, Assamese, Oriya, etc. The language originated and developed in Manipur and was originally confined to the surroundings of the Loktak Lake. Linguistic Survey of India by George Abraham Grierson mentioned that the language was in existence in Manipur before the 19th century, added minister Tapan Chakraborty.

The language slowly started losing its ground in Manipur against a vast majority of Meitei’s and is slowly facing its decay in Cachar and Bangladesh against a vast majority of Bengali-speakers. This language is still being spoken in Jiribam (a sub-division of Manipur), Cachar (a district of Assam) and in some pockets of Bangladesh and Tripura and to regain back the emphasis of this language this seminar is held, said Minister.