London, February 13: A Bengali signboard has recently been installed at Whitechapel Station in London, the UK capital, in what is seen as a tribute to the local Bangladeshi community. This is historically significant, as Bengalis have been living in this area of London since the time of British rule in India. Today, around 40 percent of the total population of this area is Bengali, and the majority of Bengalis in England live here.
Whitechapel station has long been associated with the Bangladeshi community, and the names of various shops here are already written in Bengali. After repeated demands from locals, the London administration decided to write the names of the station's signboards in Bengali, so as to honour the contribution of the Bengali people. Therefore, signboards in Bengali have been installed at the entrances and gates of the station, which read, “Welcome to Whitechapel Station”.
MP Rupert Lowy's controversial comments
Meanwhile, Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowy shared a picture of the English and Bengali name sign of Whitechapel station on his social media account. He wrote, “This is London. The station names here should be in English, only in English.” His comment quickly sparked controversy.
Storm of controversy and various reactions
Lowy's comments were met with mixed reactions on social media, with some supporting his views, while others argued for the need for signage in multiple languages, particularly those living in multilingual societies, who saw it as a way to support the culture of different languages.
In addition, social media giant X (formerly known as Twitter) and Tesla owner Elon Musk have also responded to Rupert Lowy's claims. 'Yes' He wrote in support, which made the matter even more complicated.
This proves that debates about language and culture can sometimes create heated discussions in a country's multicultural society. The issue of installing Bengali signage at London's Whitechapel station has now become a fresh debate in the political and social arenas of England.
