Of unsung martyred intellectuals

As Bangladesh completes its 49th year of being a sovereign country, there still remains a gap in preserving the memories of many who were martyred during the war. Two such unsung martyred intellectuals from the port city are Kaminikumar Ghosh and Abani Mohan Datta. To this day, no initiatives have been taken in the port city to preserve the memories of these remarkable, brave individuals.

Kaminikumar Ghosh and Abani Mohan Dutta were killed by the Pakistan army during in 1971 due to their progressive activities and strong stance supporting the independence of Bangladesh.

Current generations rarely know of these courageous people. There are roads and intersections in Chattogram named after martyred intellectuals, but there is no such remembrance of Kaminikumar and Abani Mohan in the city.

In the wake of this year's Martyred Intellectuals Day, the families of these two martyred intellectuals urge the government to take initiatives to preserve their memory and the sacrifices they made for the country.

KAMINIKUMAR GHOSH

Kaminikumar Ghosh was abducted by the Pakistan army from his house on April 25, 1971 and then brutally murdered.

Born in 1888 at Satkania thana under Chattogram district, Kaminikumar's academic brilliance was apparent throughout his student life as he passed in all examinations under Calcutta University with scholarships.

He served as a member of Chattogram District Board for 28 years and as its vice president for seven years. He served as the chairman of Kanchana Union Board at Satkania for 25 years. Besides, he served people as a practising lawyer for 50 years. He was known as Roy Saheb Kaminikumar Ghosh in Chattogram.

He was a philanthropist and dedicated his life to spread education and for social  welfare in his area. He established Satkania College and served as its founding principal. He formed many cooperatives for the well-being of people in Satkania.  

Prof Dr Anupam Sen, a renowned social scientist and vice chancellor of Premier University Chattogram, said, "I knew Kaminikumar Ghosh in person. He was a philanthropist and very good person. He dedicated his life for the good of his community and so he was beloved and respected by all."

"He became the target of Pakistani occupation forces due to his progressive activities and popularity among people in his area," said Dr Sen, adding, "Pakistan army abducted him from his house on April 25, 1971 and killed him."

Shyama Prasad Ghosh, son of Kaminikumar, was the vice president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) in 1960s, said Dr Sen, adding, although there is a memorial for Kaminikumar in his village, no initiative has been taken to preserve his memory in the city.

Satkania College can be renamed after Kaminikumar and a road in the city can also be named after him, opined Dr Sen.

ABANI MOHAN DUTTA

Abani Mohan Dutta was a progressive educationist, professor and head of the department of philosophy in Chattogram College. He was also a part-time teacher at Chittagong University.   

He was also targeted by the Pakistan army for his progressive views and strong support for Bangladesh's liberation.

He was abducted from his house in Chattogram city on May 8, 1971 and then murdered.    

Dr Souren Biswas is Abani Mohan Dutta's only daughter, Manju Hashi Dutta's husband. He is a retired professor of Bangla at Chittagong University. "My father-in-law was born in Cumilla's Debidwar thana. He used to live at the quarters in Percival Hill, adjacent to CU. Razakars and the Pakistani army abducted and killed him. There haven't been any notable initiatives to preserve this memory for the nation."

Meanwhile, Dr M Shafiqul Alam, professor at the philosophy department at Chittagong University, who was a student of Abani Mohan Dutta, said, "Abani sir was my teacher at Chittagong College at the intermediate level in 1971. He was not only a good teacher but also a good person. He was a humanitarian, and a scholar."

Reminiscing his memory, Prof Dr Anupam Sen said, "Abani Mohan Dutta resided at my house for three months at Nalapara in the city when he was transferred to Chattogram College in 1970. I was then a teacher of Chittagong University. My teacher and later colleague at Dhaka University, Prof Dr Govinda Chandra Dev, introduced him to me. Abani Mohan was such a nice person as well as a progressive thinker. His clear stance for the Liberation War of Bangladesh made him a target of the Pakistan army."

No initiative has been taken to preserve his memory in Chattogram. Both Dr Anupam and Dr Shafiqul said initiative should be taken immediately to preserve  the memory of Abani Mohan Dutta. Name of a student hostel or an academic  building of Chattogram College or a city road can be named after him.

Contacted, Freedom Fighter Faruk-e-Azam Bir Protik, said the memory of all martyred intellectuals should be preserved. The present generations do not know much about the martyred intellectuals  due to lack of documentation, he said. 

At first the government should make a proper list of them as documentation is very important so that the next generation can know about them, he said.

Contacted, Elias Hossain, deputy commissioner of Chattogram, said they would take initiative to preserve the memory of martyred intellectuals as per government instruction.