Youth should follow ideals of Dr Muhammad Shahidullah

The young generation should follow in the footsteps of Dr Muhammad Shahidullah in promoting secularism and the practice of Bangla language and literature, speakers said at a seminar yesterday.

The seminar titled “Daylong Seminar on the Memories of Shahidullah” was organised by the Bangla department of Dhaka University in RC Majumdar Auditorium.

Addressing the seminar, Prof Rafiqul Islam said, “Shahidullah, who was a pious, but not communal, man, played a large role in empowering the Muslim society, which was lagging behind.”

Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice chancellor of Dhaka University, said Shahidullah was also vocal about education for women.           

Chayan Ara, Shahidullah's granddaughter, and Dr Jenat Imtiaz Ali, director general of International Mother Language Institute, among others, spoke.

Shahidullah awarded “Night of the Order of Art and Letters” by the French government in 1967 for his lifetime achievement in research on language and literature.