Sayeed Ahmad introduces world dramas to Bangladeshis: speakers

Robab Rosan

Sayeed Ahmad has introduced world dramas to Bangladeshis. He has also upheld Bangladeshi theatre to the world. He has made a different trend of absurd plays in the world of Bengali theatre.
   The speakers said this in the reception programme to the internationally renowned playwright Sayeed Ahmad, organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at the National Theatre Hall in Segun Bagicha on June 10.
   Litterateur Syed Shamsul Haq, distinguished theatre personalities Momtajuddin Ahmed, Ataur Rahman, Ramendu Majumdar, M Hamid and director of dramatics and film department of the academy Shafi Kamal attended at the reception programme, which was chaired by the academy's director general Qamrul Hasan.
   The reception was followed by the recitation from Sayeed Ahmad's play titled 'Milepost'. Noted actors Aly Zaker, Abul Hayat, Ataur Rahman and Asaduzzaman Noor recited from the play.
   Appreciating the initiative of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in arranging the reception programme Syed Shamsul Haq said that Sayeed Ahmad is one of the pioneers in Bangladeshi theatre. 'Sayeed Ahmad's plays have a tremendous influence among the playwrights of the country,' Haq said.
   Ataur Rahman said that Sayeed Ahmad is our inspiration. 'We the theatre activists get guidance and knowledge on fine and performing arts from this eminent playwright,' said Rahman.
   Ramendu Majumdar said, 'Sayeed Ahmad has introduced world renowned playwrights and their works to us. He has enriched the Bengali plays introducing the trend of absurd plays in his own style.
   Momtajuddin Ahmed said, 'Sayeed Ahmad's plays are wonders to me. 'The playwright has used the people of common professions in society as his characters. He has used the role of a mother very passionately. Sometimes the mothers of his plays symbolise the motherland,' Ahmed added.
   Qamrul Hasan said that the academy has been honoured in arranging the reception to the eminent playwright Sayeed Ahmad. He also assured that the academy would continue this sort of reception programme to the distinguished persons who have contribution to the development of country's art and culture.
   The academy handed over a gold medal and taka 10 thousand as prize money.
   Born in Dhaka on January 1, 1931, Sayeed Ahmed is one of the eminent playwrights of Bangladesh. He did his post-graduation in international relations at Dhaka University in 1954 and at London School of Economics in 1956.
   He retired from government services as secretary. His notable plays are The Thing, 1962 (Bengali translation Kalbela), Milepost (1964), In Thirst, 1969 (Bengali translation Trishnay) and The Last Nawab, 1975 (Bengali translation Shesh Nabab).

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More books in English with women's contribution to war demanded

Cultural Correspondent

The launching ceremony of the book titled 'History From Below 1971, Accounts of Participants and Eyewitness' was held at the Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum at Shahbagh in Dhaka on Wednesday.
   Noted social activist Shamsunnahar Rose unveiled the cover of the book edited by Dr Sukumar Biswas.
   The book with the experiences of 28 witnesses depicts brutal events during the war of independence of Bangladesh in 1971.
   The ceremony, followed by a discussion on the book, was organised by the Muktijudhha Gabeshana Kendra (Trust for Research on Liberation War of Bangladesh).
   The Daily Star editor, Mahfuz Anam, researchers and social activists including Hamida Hossain, Meghna Guha Thakurata, noted litterateur Selina Hossain, Zobaida Nasrin, assistance editor of the daily Prothom Alo took part in the discussion, chaired by the president of the organisation, Professor Salahuddin Ahmed. Maidul Hassan of the organisation gave the welcome speech.
   Selina in her speech said, 'When the historian wrote the history of the country, they somehow undermined the contribution of the women'.
   'It is encouraging that after 36 years, they are thinking to re-write the script of the war recognising the contribution of the women, she added.
   The speakers stressed the need for more volumes on the subject in English so that the readers from across the world could know about the brutal events, including the torture, genocide, rape, hooliganism by the occupation forces and anti-Bangladesh quarters, held in 1971.

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Imperial Entanglement and
Literature in English

Farida Shaikh

His students know that he admired Edward Said "above anyone else in English Studies." His students emailed the death news of Edward Said in 2003, 25 September. One of the notes was "Sir, Edward Said has died. Did you finish your Imperial Entanglement and Literature in English? I remember you telling me that you'd dedicate the book to him."
   Nearly four and half years later on May 26, 2007 Saturday at 1800 hours the book on Imperial Entanglement and Literature in English by Fakrul Alam was launched. It was a Dedication in Memoriam to Edward Said.
   It was a glorious occasion and I felt that I could almost hear the voice of Bret Midler humming the plaintive tune "....did you ever know that you are my hero.... you are everything I would ever want to be... you are the wind beneath my wings..."and the loud and clear voice of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed from Princeton saying "...Professor Edward Said: You will never know how much we loved you!" for he considered Said to be a friend, a mentor and a source of inspiration.
   And it is in the same wave length as the writer's acknowledgement, that "...He is undoubtedly, the most important influence on my work..." It was an event, a celebration at Bengal Shilpalaya at Dhanmondi with eulogy for the writer by eloquent speakers.
   Edward Said, 1935-2004, "...a brilliant and unique amalgam of scholar, aesthete and a political activist...," Washington Post Book World, is central to this collection of essays spread over twenty five years, beginning 1980, of the writer's career.
   A major portion of the writing is a tribute to this great scholar, "...the exemplary figure..." for understanding of the imperial entanglement reflected in English literature and the context of his ideas the direction, the extent, evolution and significance. The collection is indeed a labour of love. For "Said.... is the major post colonial theorist of the colonial encounter...the vanguard of post-colonial discourse."
   Edward Said's 1978 book Orientalism mark the beginnings of postcolonial studies . expounding the thesis that Western scholars have utilized their knowledge to comprehend power for purposes of domination, restructure and attain authority over the "Orient."
   This 19th-century literary discourse originated in England and France and later the United States under the strong influence of thinkers like Chomsky, Foucault and Gramsci. Orientalism is often classed with postmodernist and postcolonial works that share various commonality.
   Much later, Said described his views on Orientalism as "humanistic critique" and Enightenment.And discourse about other cultures, is inherently ideolgical and historical in nature discourse must be situated within a particular ideologically structured framework. Contemporary realities and political implications are included.
   Reflection on Exile and Other Literary and Cultural Essays, 2001, is the sixteenth and last book by Said, then age sixty- seven, that chronologically sums up all the major themes of his brilliant career.
   Globally the book is relevant following the event of 9/11, the Israeli pogrom policy in Palestine, and nationally as Fakrul Alam notes the fundamentalist feelings in Bangladesh, in lieu of the "...vision of secular socialistic, progre-ssive"....country... "...that was the dream of our founding fathers."
   "The Clash of Definitions" is the most powerful essay in this collection where Said encounters Samuel Huntington 1993 writing "The Clash of Civilization" to confirm that "... it is only one more ...chauvinistic work... by western intellectuals..."to prolong, exacerbate, and deepen conflict...between them." Further the approach adopted in this work is best described as "us-verses-them," and also of "stereotyping civiliza-tions.......and people.... to one or two negative traits"
   "Orientalism Reconsi-dered" is an essay on Orientalism re-visited, that includes "Egyptian Rites" which is on western (mis)representation of Egypt, and "Representing the Colonized: Anthropology's Intedocutors" shows the western intellectuals inspiring and sustaining ways of imperial ventures and their tendency to brand the Muslims as terrorists.
   In the book "Covering Islam"1981 this subject is further elaborated. Said also cited that "exile, immigration and crossing of boundaries" open "new narrative forms....with other ways of telling." Emile Habibi and Ghassan Kanafani are the revolutionary writers of the Arab world discussed in "After Mahfouz."
   The book, Representation of the Intellectual 1993 was the outcome of the Reith lectures. Examining his position in the west, certain criteria are put forth in defining the intellectual and his/er position. "Disturber of the status quo" is the public role of the intellectual and to minimize communication barriers, break down "the stereotypes and reductive categories". Further the public performance of the intellectual figure are beyond set pattern or "fixed dogma" and he is a person in "exile or marginalized".
   According to Said the ideal intellectual combine the traits of Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci's "organic" verses traditional, and French rightist Julian Benda's "conscience of mankind". Both the thinkers consider change as very important.
   The intellectual must break away from majority and speak the truth and question the tradition when his conscience agitates him. As continuation of this characteristic the intellectual's role in present day Islam is to revive the tradition of ijtihad or "personal interpretation" and not unquestioning submission to ulemas or "charismatic demagogues" and not be indifferent to wrongs done to minorities under cover of ethnic or nationalistic interest.
   Said was a staunch supporter of the Palestine cause. The Oslo Declaration had a shattering blow upon Said. He broke away from the PLO in 1993.With the thoughts of ideal intellectual in mind, Said questions again on professionalism or specialization of intellectual. In the pursuit to "uncover truth" it may become necessary for the intellectual to break away from his group.
    Said designates all isms as "Gods that always fail" and the ideal intellectual is possessed of the quality of being concerned "with life itself," which is the struggle of the oppressed and the disadvantaged, "as well as life of the mind," meaning "cultivate...critical faculties." In the national context Fakrul Alam opens the question of pursuing the model intellectual, by those, who opt for such a life style in Bangladesh.
   The highlight and the beauty of the book launch was the visibility of mutual admiration. Among "A Few Recent Postcolonial Writers" discussed within the Imperial Entanglements and Literature in English, the young poet Kaiser Haq was present, and delivered an eloquent speech that matched the qualitative compliments of the writer for the poet in chapter twenty three of the book.
   As Kaiser Huq has successfully "demonstrated that creativity cannot be constricted by nationalistic categories," then would it not have been more appropriate to cover the poet under "embraced hybridity" and position him beyond boarders, and not as "...A Bangladeshi writing in English?"
   For this hybridity is also apparent in some form with writers such as, Bharati Mukerjee and Jhumpa Lahiri .And as the writers have not been localized, in letters, they enjoy a more egalitarian status as recent post colonial writers and are free of double categorization, while their nomenclature connects them to their original boundary though not so importantly in the present context.
   Kaiser Haq has been deeply influenced by modern Bengali poets such as Shamsur Rahman whose work he has rendered in commendable translation, by Shahid Qadri to whom he has dedicated his poem in his first collection ,Starting Lines ,1978,and is closely connected to Indo-Anglian poetry of Nissim Ezekiel ,Dom Moraes and others. He is also attracted by twentieth century western poetry and the great tradition of English and American Poetry.
   In an essay "the story of Indo-Anglian Poetry" Kaiser Huq broke the moralist's myth and challenged the exemplary literary figure, that Bengali writing in English, would while living a licentious lifestyle produce distasteful literary works. He proved that "you can be a Bangladeshi, patriotic, and still produce first rate verses in English; and that you can write "naturally" in English, the medium of education, even if your mother tongue is Bangla."
   Kaiser Haq has been writing poetry in English from Bangladesh for three decades. He has "established himself as our leading poet in English and has been internationally acknow-ledged as a writer worth noticing."
   The book launch was significant. The big assembly of invitees and more students, were really spilling all over the hall which was small for the occasion. This book will definitely benefit the students and general readers of English Literature, so a little cheaper edition with extra links and notes for the students, and a bit pricy library edition for academicians would make for friendly readership.
   The print just a little bit darker would make for rapid reading of the text. The cover picture of the book is probably Robinson Crusoe, though not mentioned, otherwise appropriate in three colours. The index of the book is very useful, and need more attention. But whatever, the book is a landmark for higher learning in Bangladesh.

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