<i>'Biographies of great Bangalees to strengthen cultural ties'</i>

Guests hold copies of a book titled 'Twenty Great Bengalis' at its publication ceremony at Brac Centre in the city yesterday. From left are former adviser Mahbubul Alam, Brac Chairman Fazle Hasan Abed, Dr A Majed Khan, Prof AM Chowdhury and A Matin Chowdhury.Photo: STAR

Speakers at a book-launching ceremony yesterday said biographies of great people of Bengal can inspire young generations at home and abroad to strengthen their cultural bondage.
They, however, stressed that the biographies should be written on the basis of objective researches and critical analysis saying that many biographies and history books written in the past were biased.
The observations came at the launch of the book titled 'Twenty Great Bengalis' edited by Dr A Majeed Khan, vice-chancellor of the University of Information Technology and Science.
The great people whose biographies were included in the book are Dipankar Srijnana Atish, Raja Rammohon Roy, Lalan Shah, Titumir, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Jagdish Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Abul Kashem Fazlul Huq, Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, Dr Muhammad Shahidullah, Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Satyajit Ray, Amartya Sen, Ziaur Rahman and Dr Muhammad Yunus.
“I hope the young generation will be inspired by reading the book,” said Brac Chairman Fazle Hasan Abed while speaking as chief guest.
“We usually give recognition to people after their death. But I think we should also recognise great people when they are alive,” he said with special reference to the biographies of Dr Muhammad Yunus and Amartya Sen who are now alive.
Speaking as discussant on the book, Prof Syed Manzoorul Islam of Dhaka University said this book will inspire young people of Bengali diaspora communities who grow without any role model.
He however said a biography should cover both bright and dark side of a man.
Prof AM Chowdhury also spoke at the book launch presided over by Mahbubul Alam, editor of The Independent.
The event was organised by Shaheed Khalek and Major Salek Chowdhury Bir Uttam Trust.