MAILBOX
A Life Changing Journey
What an amazing experience it was to read the article titled 'A Life Changing Journey' in the Star Weekend issue of February 10, 2017. I was glued into reading the story about activities taken up by a team of people who are still in their last leg of studies. However, they decided, while carrying on with their studies, to embark upon a journey to change the lives of downtrodden young children and poor women. We, the people of Bangladesh, can see some good things happening through our young generations when they come forward selflessly and do something for the impoverished people. Kudos to all the team members belonging to It's Humanity Foundation (IHF). Best wishes to all of them in their mission to achieve their thoughtful and desired goals.
Mashudul Haque
Central Road, Dhaka
Blast from the Past
As a professor and researcher at the University of Dhaka and an avid reader of the Star Weekend, my attention was drawn to Rahat Abrar's brief write up published under the title 'Blast from the Past' in Mailbox corner of Star Weekend dated February 3, 2017. There are some void and lacunae in this writing which needs to be set right. Researchers and scholars over a considerable period of time conducted research studies (including myself) which revealed that within 5 years or so of the establishment of Dhaka University, there has been a burgeoning of socio-cultural vis-a-vis literary activities centering the then residential halls particularly the Muslim Hall (later on Salimullah Muslim Hall). In June 1926 the Muslim Shahittya Samaj (Muslim Literary Soceity) was founded in the Muslim Hall Union office room. The protagonists of this society were the then young, energetic and literary minded personalities such as Shahidullah (later on Dr. Shahidullah), Abul Hossain, the first Muslim lecturer of the then Department of Commerce and Economics, of Dhaka University, Kazi Motahar Hossain of Physics Department (later on the founder of Statistics Department), Kazi Abdul Wadud, legendary Professor of Bengali literature and so on. In conjunction with a host of other like-minded cultural activists, they organised the "Buddhir Mukti Andolon" (Movement for the Emancipation of Minds) which professed and propagated the lofty ideals of humanism, secularism, rationalism and above all emancipation of intellect. By far the most striking aspect of the movement was the stress on using Bengali in all written and oral activities. Thus Shikha the annual mouthpiece of the society was essentially published in Bengali and carried weighty and thought-provoking articles and poems which were directed against social excesses in the name of Islam, obscurantism, outdated ideas and thoughts. Five issues of Shikha were published from 1927 to 1932.
In fact this was the first progressive movement of East Bengal centering Dhaka University which petered out after a parlous existence of twelve years in the face of stiff opposition by obscurantist, the mentors of old order and vested interests. Put in its proper perspective the pioneering free thinkers movement- "Buddhir Mukti Andolon" is Dhaka University's best contribution towards the social and intellectual awakening in this region as it set in motion the forces which shaped into the Language Movement (1948-52) and ultimately the glorious Liberation War of 1971.
Dr.Mohammad Tawfiqul Haider
Professor and former Chairman, Department of Islamic History and Culture, University of Dhaka
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