Protect residence of Ramnath Biswas

Eminent citizens  yesterday demanded that the government protect the house of world traveler and travelogue writer Ramnath Biswas at Baniachaung upazila in Habiganj.

They were speaking at a seminar organised by the Habitat Restoration and Conservation Committee of World Traveler Ramnath Biswas Bishwa Sahitto Kendra in Dhaka.

Mofidul Hoque, trusty of Liberation War Museum, Shahriar Kabir president of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, and former additional secretary Jalal Ahmed were present at the event.

Mofidul Hoque said, "I first read Ramnath in the 60's, when I was in school. Ramnath traveled the world. He went to Africa and saw their struggles in his own eyes. After that, he became an anti-colonialist."

Shahriar Kabir said, "We know about many travel story writers in Bangla literature, but what makes Ramnath different is his humble background. He did not have higher education, nor did he owned enormous wealth. What he had was courage and boundless curiosity."

Stating that Ramnath Biswas' residence is in the possession of an  Al Badr family (local collaborators of Pakistan Army in 1971), Shahriar Kabir said, "In independent Bangladesh, it is a matter of shame."

Historian Ahsanul Kabir presented the keynote paper at the seminar.

He said, "Initiatives should be taken now to keep  his memories alive. Textbooks should include his biography."

Travelogue writer Ashrafuzzaman Uzzal, convenor of Habitat Restoration and Conservation Committee, presided over the seminar.

Baul Bashiruddin Sarkar sang his own song on Ramnath at the event.