Overview
- The policy was announced in the state Assembly on Monday and directs all departments to complete translation of formats, manuals and digital interfaces before the September 1 implementation date.
- State orders require file notings, departmental correspondence, government notifications and services such as FIR registration and complaint forms to be conducted in Bengali.
- The government said communications with the Central Government will be carried out in Bengali alongside Hindi rather than relying solely on English.
- The BJP welcomed the move as a show of commitment to Bengali identity while senior figures in the TMC offered mixed reactions, with some calling the change largely symbolic.
- Officials and local leaders in multilingual areas have raised practical questions about implementation and minority languages such as Nepali and Santhali, and analysts say the shift is also a political bid to reclaim a language-based identity long associated with the TMC.