Muktadhara

Chittarojan Saha was the founder of MuktadharaEkushey Book Fair, and Muktadara , an organization—which promotes Bengali literature and culture.It was founded in 1970--a year befor Bangladesh independent.

The word Mukhtodara derived from a Bengali words means ‘Free-flowing stream’. The organization is based on the idea that Bengali literature deserve more exposure because Bengali literature is as splendor as the wave of a flowing stream. With in three decades, Muktadara has spanned in many countries—including the United States. It also affiliated with many initiatives such as International Mother Language Day, 10 greatest living Bengalese(somewhat controversial), International Bengla Festival—and 'Amar Ekushey Granthamela. Another characteristic of the organization is that a significant numbers of its associates are children—especially one who born in America.

Recently Rashidul Bari, [1], a Bangladeshi writer based in the United States takes Biswajit Saha, the younger brother of late Cittaranjan Saha, who is present President of Mukhtadara Foundation, interview. Their conversation covered Muktadhara's history and involvement with the Amar Ekushey Granthamela, International language Day, International Bengali Book Fair, and (so called)10 Greatest Bengali Award. Mr. Saha said, “Thanks to Chttarajan Dada, Muktadhara started its tour in the peak of 1971 Liberation War. Back in those days—writers, who were kicked out from Bangladesh by Pakistani Military, regularly gathered in West Bengal.Like other intellectuals, my beloved brother were fired with the enthusiasm to do something for his mother land and he frequently met with writes and took the accountability to publish their writing.”

In his interview, Mr. Sahaalso informed that his elder brother published 32 books throughout the nine months of the Liberation War. Talking about his role in the establishment of Muktadhara, Mr. Saha said, “Although I was much younger, nevertheless, I loved helping my beloved elder brother.” After the Liberation War, Chittaranjan returned to Bangladesh and continued publishing books under the Muktadhara publication House. Regarding Muktadhara's association with the Amar Ekushey Granthamela, Mr. Saha said, “in 1972 my elder brother began to sell books at the Bangla Academy ground, while seated on the soil—which with in a decade became one of the biggest book fairs in the world. In 2006, Bangladesh government awarded him the Kosee Podok, the highest honor in Bangladesh” said Mr. Saha.

Muktadhara New York branch was founded in 1991 by Mr. Biswajit Saha—to spread the Bengali language movement around the North America--especially in the United States. The language movement started as early as 1948—after the declaration of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the then Governor General of Pakistan, to exclude Bengali as a state language of Pakistan. As a result, on 21st February 1951, a number of students campaigning for the recognition of Bangla as one of the state languages were killed when police fired upon them. Saheed Minar—the martyer’s monument was built in the same year in Dhaka University Campus to commamorate the sacrifies for Bangla Language. Muktadara with the association of Weekly Thikana, Bengla Potrica and many other organization started commamorating the myrters by creating a temporary monument in front of the United Nations on every single 21 Februay since 1992. Thanks to thousands of devotee Muktadhara and other organizations who have worked so hard and so long to grab the world attention. Finally, UNESCO’s proclaimed it as International Mother Language Day by General Conference in November 1999. The International Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

Mukhtadara New York branch also devoted itself to help promote Bengali literature in North America by launching community writing workshops, reading series in conjunction with and various school and community projects. Since 1992, Muktadhara has been organizing International Bengali Book Fair in New York—and some other citis in North America. It is the biggest Bengla Language Festival outside Bangladesh and West Bengal. It hosted many well-known Bengali poets—and writers such as Dr. Jaffar Iqbal, Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury, Dr. Purobi Basu, Syed Mohammed Ullah, Humayun Ahmed, Samaresh Majumdar, Sunil Ganguli, Imdadul Haq Milan, and Humayun Azad. On June 23, 2005, Muktadhara has done another contoversial (disputed) job by announcing the list of 10 greatest living Bengalese. It became controversial when the announced Khalada Zia, and Shack Hasina(the two most corrupted politicians in Bangladesh) as greatest Bengali along with other eight. However, many also praised because Muktadhara also had two Bengali Nobel Laureates—Dr. Muhammad Yunus and Dr Amartya Sen in the list of 10 greatest living Bengalese.

Now entering its 38 years of legacy, Muktadhara Foundation is going to launch another International Bengali Book Fair which will be held in New York on June 28 & 29. Once again, it will host eminent authors, artists, performers and celebrities who are coming from Bangladesh and West Bengal.

Languages are the most prevailing device of defending and mounting our touchable and elusive tradition. Muktadara’s moves to promote the distribution of Bengla, a mother tongue of 250 million people, will serve not only to support linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, and acceptance. While other New York based Bengali organizations are busy flattering corrupts politicians, Muktadara helps(some may disagree)those who have potentials to enrich literature by sponsoring their literary works. It has a mission which Nazrul called, “help unleashing the beauty of truth”. Nazrul writes, “Let them spread jealousy, prejudice and defamation—we will offer beauty of Bangla—which will make a bridge among cultures. Tagore, the Nobel Prize winning Bengali poet, writes, “Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf”. Like Tagore, we hope that Muktadara will play a good role on the stage of world literature on behalf of Bengla Language.

References

7. [[The Muktadhara legacy[2]]]