Bengali now must on Siliguri signboards & hoardings
Times of India | 22 March 2025
Siliguri: Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has issued a new directive making Bengali language mandatory on all signboards and hoardings. SMC officials said the move was aimed at promoting and preserving the linguistic heritage of Bengal. They also warned that non-compliance may attract appropriate legal and administrative action.
"It is now mandatory to include Bengali language on all signboards, hoardings and signage, alongside any other language. The directive applies to all private ownership entities, including, but not limited to shops, companies, shopping malls, offices, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and diagnostic centres. All establishments concerned are requested to comply with this directive by April 14," the notice from the SMC read.
SMC mayor Gautam Deb explained that the decision was made during a MIC meeting on Feb 21 and later approved at a board of councillors meeting on March 5.
"We will ask traders to include Bengali alongside other languages on all hoardings and signboards. This will be an ongoing process. Any offences will be addressed later; for now, our focus is on highlighting the importance of Bengali language," said Deb.
Local resident Pradipto Das said that by enforcing this rule, SMC aimed to strengthen cultural ties and encourage the use of Bengali in daily life. "The directive also reflects the current political and cultural shift in the region. The push for Bengali signage is part of broader efforts to assert regional identity," Das said.
Bengali was officially recognised in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution in 1950.