Bangla Academy, established to promote and foster the Bengali language, literature and culture celebrated its 69th founding anniversary with elaborate programmes at the academy premises amid much fanfare and enthusiasm.
The programme began at 10 am this morning with placing wreaths at Central Shaheed Minar paying tribute to language movement martyrs, and at the grave of linguist Dr Muhammad Shahidullah, a dreamer of the Academy.
Earlier, the national flag and Bangla Academy flag were hoisted atop the Academy premises.
A lecture marking the founding anniversary was also organised at Bangla Academy's Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharod auditorium at 3 pm, with Bangla Academy president Professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq in the chair.
Cultural ministry adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki addressed it as chief guest while Bangla Academy Director General Dr Mohammad Azam gave a welcome speech.
Former Bangla Academy DG Mansur Musa presented the keynote speech on the occasion titled 'Bangla Gobeshonaloy Sonkranto Bichitra Durbhabona' on the occasion, conducted by Bangla Academy Deputy Director Sayera Habib.
A documentary on July-August student-led mass reprising was screened at the beginning of the discussion along with observing one minute silence showing profound respect to eminent academician late Professor Harunur Rashid, former president and director general of the Bangla Academy.
Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said, "Although the academy is widely known to common people for its two activities - book fairs and dictionaries, but in the last seven decades, Bangla Academy has done various significant tasks for the Bangla language, literature and culture".
"After the recent mass uprising, our key responsibility is to repair the broken bridges in the field of national thought instead of one-sided intellectual and cultural field so that everyone can find the language for their rights," he added.
Professor Mohammad Azam said, "Bangla Academy is at the center of people's desires and aspirations. The academy may have faced hardship to carry out its duty independently due to state and party pressure, but after the mass uprising the scenario has changed".
"In the changed reality, everyone expects that Bangla Academy will be able to work independently and fulfill the national responsibility entrusted to it. We are firmly determined to do so", he added.
Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haq said, "Since its inception, Bangla Academy has been facing various crises. The academy had to engage in existential fight within the Pakistani state structure. And after that, it had to fight against weak financial structure in independent Bangladesh".
source: BSS
