Fast forward to the past

Visitors browse through ancient books, manuscripts and historic documents put on display at a three-day exhibition that began at Bangla Academy in the capital yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

The exhibition is rare in every sense of the word, for it showcases the entire political, cultural and linguistic history of Bengal and some other parts of the world. Not merely in printed form, but in the original forms of manuscripts.

Bangla Academy has organised the three-day exhibition at the Bardhaman House in the capital as part of the celebration of the 'National Library Year' declared by prime minister. The show that opened yesterday runs through tomorrow evening.

Dewan-e Hafiz, the manuscript of a Persian epic written in gold letters by Khwaja Shawaju Shamsuddin in 1700 AD, drew most visitors.

Dhaka University Library has put on display Sarada Tilak, a Sanskrit manuscript of 1439. It is also exhibiting Padma Puran of Narayan Dev, Mahabharata, Padmaboti of Alaol, Shab-e-Meraj of Syed Sultan, Ramayana of Kirtibas, and many other books and manuscripts of the Middle Age.

The exhibition features some rare manuscripts of the 17th century written in Persian and Arabic on the historic events of Karbala, rated as the most attractive collection.

Sylhet Sanskrit College, Central Muslim Literature Sansad Library of Sylhet, Woodburn Public Library of Bogra, Khwaja Nazimuddin Muslim Hall and Public Library of Dinajpur, Jessore Institute Public Library, National Archives and Library Department, Archaeology Department, and Jatiya Grontho Kendra are also taking part in the show.

The visitors also have the opportunity to see many Bangla newspapers and magazines as early as the 18th and 19th centuries.

Copies of old newspapers like Notun Bangla, Banglar Mukh, Saptahik Bangla apart, a few copies of the Ittefaq, Pakistan Observer and The Bangladesh Gazette, the dailies published during the Liberation War are being showcased.

Biswabani, Bangasree, monthly Mohammadi, Sahityapatra, Priti, Krishi Samachar, Prabashi, Anathbondhu, Matribhumi Masik Patrika and Shonibarer Chithi are among the old magazines to have become favourite with the visitors.

Large numbers of priceless books, magazines and manuscripts being exhibited by the Bangla Academy were collected from the family library of Jibendra Kishore Acharya, a 19th century zamindar of Muktagachha in Mymensingh.

Bangla Academy collected more than 10,000 books and magazines from the zamindar family, its Librarian Shahida Khan said.

The collection includes the books and magazines mostly of Bangla literature of the Middle Age, ancient manuscripts, maps, and huge centuries-old documents in Arabic, Persian, Hindi, Sanskrit and English.

"We want the young generation of the country to read and learn history of the country. Unless they deeply learn their own history, literature and culture, they cannot love their motherland," Professor Monsur Musa, director general of Bangla Academy, said.

Information Minister M Shamsul Islam, who inaugurated the exhibition yesterday, called for preserving the country's historic documents.

He said many libraries were once there in the villages and the young people also had a habit to reading books, but nowadays they are more leaned towards visual media.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs Selima Rahman, linguist Dr Kazi Deen Mohammad, and Cultural Affairs Secretary Kazi Abul Quasem also spoke at the inaugural function.