Indira Gandhi Culture Centre organised  a screening of documentary film on Emeritus Professor Anisuzzaman titled ‘Batighar’, produced by Masud Karim, at Kabi Sufia Kamal Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum on Tuesday.
Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman was present at the event accompanied by his wife Siddiqa Zaman. Filmmaker Masud Karim, Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi, acting High Commissioner of India Dr Adarsh Swaika and IGCC Director Jayashree Kundu also attended the event.
Masud Karim said that he would like the film to be a record for posterity, so that the future generations can take inspiration from Professor Anisuzzaman’s life and work in taking Bangladesh forward.
Dr Gowher Rizvi said that during all the major struggles in the country, be it the language movement, the liberation war or any other struggle, Professor Anisuzzaman has always chosen the right path, the path of honesty and good values.
Dr Adarsh Swaika said that Professor Anisuzzaman is a man of high stature not only in Bangladesh but in the entire subcontinent of whom India is also proud. His thoughts and writings are a constant source of inspiration for us.
The film ‘Batighar’, which means ‘Light House’, is a documentary on Professor Anisuzzaman, an eminent writer and educationist of Bangladesh. The 45-minute documentary features Professor Anuisuzzman’s personal life and his eventful career as a researcher and scholar. It also highlights his contributions to the Language Movement, the Liberation War and Bangla literature and linguistics through interviews of eminent Indian and Bangladeshi personalities.
Professor Anisuzzaman`s writings on national identity and educational, religious, historical and social reconstruction are considered a treasure trove by the academics of Bangladesh. His books such as ‘Muslim Manash O Bangla Sahitya’, ‘Swaruper Sandhane’, ‘Purono Bangla Gadya’, ‘Bangali Nari: Sahitye O Samaje’, ‘Kal Nirabadhi’, and ‘Ihajagatikata O Anyanya’ are considered seminal works by academics working on Bangla literature and language.
Professor Anisuzzaman has received many awards in recognition of his contributions. He has been awarded the Bangla Academy award for research, the Ekushey Padak and the Swadinata Padak. He has been awarded the Ananda Puraskar two times by the Ananda Group of Publications, Kolkata, an honorary D. Lit. by the Rabindra-Bharati University, Kolkata, Sarojini Basu Medal by the University of Calcutta, Pandit Iswarchandra Vidyasagar Gold Plaque and Rabindranath Tagore Birth Centenary plaque by the Asiatic Society, Kolkata. The Government of India has awarded him the prestigious Padma Bhushan.
Producer of the documentary film, Masud Karim, has completed his graduation from University of Dhaka. He has got a Diploma in Japanese Language & Literature from Tokyo. He also has a diploma on Film Making from Whistling Woods International Mumbai founded by one of India’s leading filmmakers, Subhash Ghai.  Karim has made a documentary titled ‘Krishnakoli’ on iconic Indian stage and film actor Shri Saumitra Chatterjee in 2015. He is also working on the first album of recitation of poems written by him and recited by Saumitra Chatterjee. The album consists of poems which Karim has compiled in his anthology, ‘Bhalobashar Kobita’.
Photo : courtesy