Sylheter Sahittyo: Srosta O Sristi
SYLHETER Sahittyo: Srosta O Sristi (Literature of Sylhet: Writers & their works) is a voluminous book by Professor Nandalal Sharma that covers a span of over one hundred years to enlighten the readers with adequate information about the authors, poets, essayists and educationists of greater Sylhet (Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj and Sunamgonj). It's a compendious anthology illustrating the biographies and prominent creations of the litterateurs of Sylhet division which have been generated and published over last more than one century.
Sylhet is best-known across Bangladesh and beyond for its natural beauty that comprises tea gardens, waterfalls, hills and forests. However, this region has been abundant with the creative fertility of a broad range of bards and minnesingers whose verses, fables and lyrics have spellbound audiences across the nation through ages. Eminent figures like Hason Raja, Shah Abdul Karim, Radha Raman have enriched the literary and cultural treasures of this area with their timeless lyrics and discourses that jingle with a deeply moving tune of mystic philosophy which are even comparable to the mystic ideas found in poems by celebrated Persian poets like Omar Khayyam and Jalal Uddin Rumi. The depth and luminosity of mysticism decked with a universal appeal, as exposed lyrically through the rhymes of Shah Abdul Karim and Hason Raja deserve profound contemplations, eulogy and analysis. And lots of analytical and research-oriented works have been meanwhile carried out by different scholars about the contributions of Hason Raja and Shah Abdul Karim to the growth of mystic musings in Bangladesh.
To write some introductory things about the author of this comprehensive anthology, Professor Nandalal Sharma himself is a renowned educationist and researcher. He had been a teacher of Bengali language and literature for around thirty years and gave lessons on this discipline in various colleges all over the country while he was in government service. Currently, he is involved in Metropolitan University, Sylhet as a Professor, Controller of Examinations and Proctor—and he has been playing his role quite successfully in this multidimensional job since joining this university. He has so far written nearly fifty books on the linguistic, literary and cultural history of Bangladesh and some of his books are often cited in publications by other authors.
To write about a few authors who have been alluded in this anthology, Syed Mujtaba Ali (1904—1974) should be named with special emphasis. He was the pioneer of modern Bengali travelogues. His travel stories, vibrant and savory with superb portrayal of his travelling experiences in different oriental and western countries still retain the power to enthrall readers of all intellectual heights. Moreover, Syed Mujtaba Ali was one of the first scholars to put forward the demand for the recognition of Bengali as the state language of East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh). He had outstanding communicative skills in Bengali, English, German, Arabic, Persian, Hindi, Sanskrit and some more languages.
Abul Maal A. Muhith, currently the Finance Minister of Bangladesh is one of the most illuminated scholars of Bangladesh and he has written a splendid number of books including American Response to Bangladesh Liberation War, Development Strategies: Lessons from Experience, Bangladesh in the 21st Century etc.
Nurul Islam Nahid, on the other hand, is the present Education Minister of Bangladesh and the translated titles of some of his books are Bangabandhu's Ideals, Aims and Struggle, Education Policy and Other Issues, Forty Years of Bangladesh Communist Party and so on.
Among many other entries, the name of Professor M. Abdul Aziz is also glaringly stated in the book. Professor M. Abdul Aziz is a highly renowned educationist and one of the leading economists of the country. He has taught economics in different colleges and universities of Bangladesh and was also the chairman of two education boards of Bangladesh. He has penned a substantial number of books on economics and other subjects and at present he is Professor Emeritus of Economics in Metropolitan University, Sylhet.
Syed Manzoorul Islam, an eminent scholar and Professor of English in University of Dhaka hails from Sylhet too and his biography has also been described in this anthology. Syed Manzoorul Islam is one of the iconic and most distinguished writers, translators, educationists and a highly esteemed literary connoisseur of our country. The list of his books published so far commands applause and veneration simultaneously. He has achieved a noteworthy number of prizes including Bangla Academy Award for his glittering literary feats and scholarly works.
Dwijen Sharma, the most famous botanist of the country, was also born in Sylhet. He lived in Moscow for many years working as a translator for Progoti Publishers. However, he returned home a few years back. He has written an extraordinary range of books on the ecological matters and biodiversity of Bangladesh. Any disquisition on Bangladesh's environmental aspects would remain incomplete without making reference to his publications.
Khandaker Mahmudur Rahman, currently Treasurer of Metropolitan University, Sylhet is a noted author too. During his professional career as an economist he worked for different domestic and foreign financial organizations and has so far written a great deal of books including A Framework of Comprehensive Village Development, Readings in Rural Development, Costs & Returns of Selected Winter Crops etc.
Professor Dr. Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed is another top-ranking economist of the country who was also born in Sylhet. Bangladesh Water Vision 2025, Economic Reforms, People's Participation and Development in Bangladesh, Quality Education and Campus Violence: Case Studies on Dhaka and Rajshahi Universities are some of his remarkable books.
Dilwar (1937—2013) was celebrated as the "gonomanusher kobi" or populist poet of Sylhet. He wrote a broad range of verses on the creeds and cultural legacies of Sylhet and won a good number of prizes including Bangla Academy Award and Ekushey Padak.
Chowdhury Golam Akbar (1921—1988) was a folklore specialist of Sylhet. He represented Bangladesh in a conference on folklore studies in New York in 1977. After his death his son Chowdhury Harun Akbar (1952—2014) continued exploring the treasures of Sylhety folk literature by writing several books on this field.
Zainul Islam, another well-known intellectual and poet of Sylhet is currently pursuing a PhD program on Applied Linguistics under University of Essex, UK. The Bleeding Flames is one of his poetry books.
Many other writers and poets and their books have been cited in the anthology but all of them cannot be addressed in this sketchy piece of work. However, this initiative by Professor Nandalal Sharma is certainly an admirable one which will play a massive role in familiarizing the readers of the whole country with the literary heritage of Sylhet region.
The reviewer is a Senior Lecturer, Department of English, Metropolitan University, Sylhet.
Comments