Bangla Academy marks 70th founding anniversary

The Bangla Academy today marked its 70th founding anniversary with diverse programmes including rally, flag hoisting and a special commemorative lecture as the key celebration event.

 The rally and the flag hoisting were held in the morning and the lecture was held in the afternoon at the Bangla Academy's Abdul Karim Sahittya Bisarad auditorium.

 Eminent writer and researcher, and Fellow of the Academy, Fayzul Uddin Chowdhury delivered the lecture with Bangla Academy President Professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque in the chair.

 Director General (DG) of the academy Prof Mohammad Azam delivered the welcoming remarks.

 Prof. Mohammad Azam, while delivering the welcome speech, said the Academy's seven-decade journey is "a major historical milestone" for Bangladesh.

 The institution emerged from the political aspirations of the people, explaining, "If we consider the crises behind state formation and the political struggles of our people, only then can we truly understand the importance of institutionalisation and Bangla Academy has always held a central place in that history," he noted.

 The DG reflected on the Academy's role in shaping and nurturing the country's language, literature and cultural practices. "We have never lived under a fully structured state system," he said, adding that despite such constraints, Bangla Academy has accumulated an enormous wealth of intellectual and cultural contribution over 70 years.

 He also urged strengthening the Academy's institutional capacity so it can take on responsibilities that universities often fail to fully carry out.

 Delivering the keynote lecture, Fayzul Uddin Chowdhury said the academy in recent months revealed "the depth of its achievements and the enormity of public expectations".

 "It is a place of trust. People believe Bangla Academy can deliver and that belief itself is a major national asset," he added.

He acknowledged that criticisms, frustrations and debates surrounding the academy are signs of deep public attachment. "No one becomes angry about an institution unless they feel connected to it," he continued.

 Fayzul Uddin Chowdhury concluded the lecture urging for both structural reform and visionary planning. "Structural reform and visionary planning are essential for the Academy's future. Seventy years of achievements must be preserved, and our task now is to overcome existing limitations so that the Academy can continue meeting the nation's aspirations," he added.

 Noting the birth struggle of the Academy in the chair's speech, Bangla Academy Chairman Prof. Abul Kasem Fazlul Haque said, "Bangla Academy was not founded in a simple or easy manner. The Muslim League government and its leadership tried in many ways to cripple the Academy so that the Bengali language could not flourish as they could not tolerate Bengali nationalism at all. Whenever anyone spoke up, it was branded as anti-independence and anti-existence of Bangladesh, and writers were even imprisoned."

 Nothing could be done openly because the government-imposed restrictions to prevent the growth of Bengali culture and thought and those who worked faced lawsuits, imprisonment, denial of promotions, and transfers, he said remembering the contribution of Dr Muhammad Shahidullah in establishing the academy.

 Urging youth to practice history and literature, he said, "Today we have fallen into a kind of emptiness. Without knowledge of history, no subject can be effectively understood. By relying on history and assessing present realities and future prospects, only then can we move forward."

 The programme began in the morning with the hoisting of the national and academy flags, followed by floral tributes at the Central Shaheed Minar and the grave of Dr Muhammad Shahidullah.