Monday, December 9, 2024

Bangla Academy fails to keep pledge

RESEARCH ON HUMAYUN’S NOVELS
Bangla Academy fails to keep pledge
Observing Humayun Ahmed’s first death anniversary
Bangla Academy fails to keep pledgeToday is the first anniversary of the death of Humayun Ahmed, the country’s most influential writer after the war of independence. He has written more than 200 fictions and non-fictions. His writing helped Bangladeshi readers to shift their focus off contemporary Indian writers. Humayun Ahmed was also a trendsetter playwright. Moreover, he directed hundreds of teleplays and eight films. He won awards such as Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Award and the National Film Awards for his two films.
Bangla Academy has failed to keep the pledge that it made after the death of the country’s iconic writer Humayun Ahmed on June 19 last year.
The government organisation, responsible for initiating research works and promoting Bangla language and literature, announced its support for 10 research works on Humayun Ahmed’s books.
The academy also announced to publish a book including all the research articles by last December.
Ahmed’s fans and peers, who highly welcomed the noble initiative, hold the academy responsible for the failure.
They also express their frustrations as the academy has not yet done anything meaningful for Humayun Ahmed, the most popular writer after the independence of the country, who has made remarkable contribution to popularise the Aamar Ekushey Granthamela.
‘We expected that the academy would do something in the last Ekushey book fair. It could be justified if the academy had launched the research book in the fair as it had promised after the death of the writer,’ Sabri Obaidul Akbar, a diehard fan of Humayun Ahmed’s novel told New Age.
‘Pledges must be fulfilled. It’s the responsibility of the academy to honour the words it made. They should have done something for Humayun, who has tremendous contribution for popularising the book fair amongst the masses,’ writer-actor Khairul Alam Shobuj told New Age.
‘Bangla Academy should act as a patron to the talented writers and also should take projects of translations of the Bangla classics as per its mandate,’ he added.
New Age investigation found that even in the slumped Amar Ekushey Granthamela in 2013, the sales of Ahmed’s books were incomparable to that of other writers.
‘For the political turmoil, this year’s book fair was unsuccessful and almost all the participating publishers suffered great loss. But even in this despondent situation, sales of Humayun Ahmed’s books remained very high, and the publishers were able to compensate their loss through selling books authored by him,’ Abdullah Naser, executive editor of Anyadin that has published Humayun Ahmed’s 50 percent of total 200 books, told New Age.
‘Ahmed’s Deyal was hot cake. People also looked for old fictions and non fictions by Ahmed,’ Naser added.
Farid Ahmed, the publisher of Samoy Prokashoni, which published 19 books of the writer, said, ‘All the books were successful financially. We also publish books of other writers but nothing is comparable to the popularity of Humayun Ahmed’s books.’
President of Bangladesh Book Publishers Association Alamgir Sikder Loto told New Age that Humayun Ahmed’s fame as a writer increased posthumously. ‘People are now more passionate about the writer after his demise and buying more of his books,’ Loto said.
Bangla Academy director general Shamsuzzaman Khan also admits that Humayun Ahmed’s writings had a huge demand in the last Amar Ekushey Grantha, though the overall sale of the fair was poor.
‘The project we initiated on the writer after his death is under process. We will do it eventually,’ Khan said.
The silver lining is that the private sectors especially the publishers are trying their best to promote the works of the iconic writer. Anyadin has already started translating Humayun Ahmed’s book Moddhanho into English.
‘We began the project when the writer was alive, but after his demise, we are now more determined to complete the book successfully, and to launch it in the upcoming Ekushey Granthamela,’ Abdullah Naser of Anyadin said.

-With New Age input

Related News

Exhibition highlights complicated significance of Buriganga river

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com A six-day group print exhibition depicting the complicated significance of the Buriganga River is under way at Alliance Française de Dhaka. Organised by the Dhaka University printmaking department, the exhibition titled Downward’s Surface is displaying more than a hundred artworks created by 23 fourth-year bachelor’s and master’s students of the department. ... Read more

Humayun Ahmed’s 76th birth anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 76th anniversary of the birth of the renowned author, dramatist, screenwriter, and director Humayun Ahmed. Humayun Ahmed is considered one of the top writers in Bengali literature, after Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. He played a key role in revitalizing Bengali literature and created memorable characters like ... Read more

Week-long annual art exhibition begins at DU

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com A seven-day annual art exhibition featuring artworks by students of the sculpture department of Dhaka University began at Zainul Gallery of the university on Monday. Organised by the sculpture department of the faculty of fine art, the exhibition features 64 artworks created by students of 2022 and 2023 academic years. The ... Read more

BSA organises cultural event with theme ‘Awaaz Uda’ to commemorate July-August mass uprising

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy will host a cultural event to commemorate July-August mass uprising this Friday, November 8. The event’s theme has been decided upon as ‘Awaaz Uda’. Rapper Hannan, the band F Minor and numerous other artists will be performing at the event. The event, organised by the Music, Dance, and ... Read more

Jatra Utsab kicks off at Suhrawardy Udyan

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com A seven-day Jatra Utsab, organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, began on Friday on the the Mukta Mancha stage of the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka. The academy aimed to revive cultural practices at all social layers after the student-led July mass-uprising. The festival features seven historical and social story-based Jatra, the popular ... Read more

Kalim Sharafi’s death anniv today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 14th anniversary of the death of Independence Award-winning cultural activist-Tagore exponent Kalim Sharafi. Born on May 8, 1924 in Birbhum of West Bengal, British India to Syed Sami Ahmed and Begum Aliya, Kalim Sharafi developed a passion for music at an early age. He recorded 18 albums, 15 ... Read more

Scholastica students stage Walt Disney’s ‘Tangled’ at Uttara campus

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com The students of Drama, Music and Dance clubs of Scholastica senior campus in Uttara staged the Walt Disney’s musical adventure comedy play titled Tangled at the STM Hall of the campus on Thursday and Friday. François Grosjean, director of Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, attended the shows as chief guest and enlightened ... Read more

Artist Samarjit Roy Chowdhury’s 2nd death anniv today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com oday is the second anniversary of the death of artist Samarjit Roy Chowdhury. Born in 1937 in Cumilla, Samarjit Roy graduated in graphic design from the then Government Art Institute, now the faculty of fine art, Dhaka University, in 1960. He joined the Dhaka University and worked for 43 years, and ... Read more

BSA to reopen National Theatre Hall on Friday

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is scheduled to reopen the National Theatre Hall and its two rehearsal rooms on Friday, said a press release on Monday. The theatre troupe can stage one show in one shift, and they have to give the member lists of troupes involved with productions at the BSA office. ... Read more

Nazrul’s grandson Kazi Anirban passes away

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Kazi Anirban, the grandson of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, passed away on Wednesday (October 3) in Switzerland due to a heart attack. He was the eldest son of Kazi Aniruddha, the rebel poet’s youngest child. Nazrul Sangeet artiste Khilkhil Kazi, daughter of Nazrul’s eldest son Kazi Sabyasachi, confirmed the news ... Read more

Nazrul’s 125th birth anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 125th birth anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. The birth anniversary of Nazrul, widely known as the rebel poet, is observed in Bangladesh on Jyaishtha 11, according to the Bangla calendar. Nazrul, a poet, lyricist, composer, playwright, novelist, revolutionary and journalist, sang equally for freedom and love. ... Read more

Mrinal Sen’s birth anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 101st anniversary of the birth of the legendary Bengali filmmaker Mrinal Sen. Born on May 14, 1923 in Faridpur, Mrinal Sen moved to Kolkata to study and became involved in left-wing politics, cultural activities, and film production. One of the most politically active filmmakers, he, after having studied ... Read more

Zainul Abedin’s 109th birth anniv today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 109th anniversary of the birth of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin. On the occasion, different organisations and admirers will pay tribute to Zainul Abedin placing floral wreaths on his grave on the Dhaka University premises in the morning. Zainul is best known for his sketches of the Bengal famine of ... Read more

Manik Bandopadhyay’s death anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 67th anniversary of the death of Bengali novelist and short story writer Manik Bandopadhyay. Born on May 19, 1908 to Harikar Bandopadhyay and Niroda Devi in Dumka, a small town in Santal Parganas district in the state of Bihar, British India, Manik Bandopadhyay was the fifth of the ... Read more

Qayyum Chowdhury ’s death anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the ninth anniversary of the death of acclaimed artist Qayyum Chowdhury. Born on March 9, 1932 in Feni, Qayyum Chowdhury’s works delve deep into folk, rustic life and traditions. Fish, flowers, women, birds and greenery are recurring objects on his canvas. He graduated from the Government Institute of Arts ... Read more

Festival honoring cultural diversity called “Sadhu Mela.”

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy organize “Sadhu Mela” on November 28 in a colorful demonstration of cultural diversity carrying on the custom that dates back to 2019. Taking place on the day of Fakir Lalon Shai’s Disappearance Day on every full moon, the event has become a noteworthy regular event in the ... Read more

‘Quarantine’ exhibition by artist Mahbubur Rahman begins today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com The opening ceremony of the exhibition comprising multi-dimensional artworks of artist Mahbubur Rahman will be held today at 5 pm. The exhibit titled, “Quarantine”, has been organised at the Kamrul Hasan Exhibition (level 1) of Bengal Shilpalay in Dhanmondi. Professor Bulbul Osman, women and human rights activist Khushi Kabir and artist ... Read more

SM Sultan’s 29th death anniversary today

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Today is the 29th anniversary of the death of renowned artist SM Sultan. Different organisations, including Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, SM Sultan Foundation and Narail district administration will pay tribute to SM Sultan organising daylong programmes at different venues in Narail’s Sultan Smriti Sangrahasala, Shishu Swarga and Zila Shilpakala Academy. Born on ... Read more

‘Tasher Desh’ staged at Scholastica school

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com With immense zeal and fervour, Scholastica Senior Campus, Mirpur staged the splendid play ‘Tasher Desh’, a masterpiece by the revered poet Rabindranath Tagore. The school’s STM hall served as the majestic environment for this two-day annual drama festival, culminating on a Friday. The talented students, members of the esteemed drama, music, ... Read more

Poet Asad Chowdhury passes away

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com Noted poet Asad Chowdhury died of old-age complications while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Toronto, Canada on Thursday. He was 80. The poet ‘died at 3:03am Canada time’ and ‘at 1:03pm Bangladesh time’, the poet’s son-in-law Nadim Iqbal posted on facebook Thursday afternoon. The poet died at the Lakeridge Health ... Read more