Pakistan Sahitya Sangsad

Pakistan Sahitya Sangsad (Pakistan Literary society) was an organisation of Bengali writers, who were inspired by the ideals of socialism and secularism. The organsation was founded in 1952, with Quazi Motahar Husain as its first president. The organization was largely based on the former province of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

Views and positions

The opportunistic use of Islam by Pakistan to suppress the legitimate aspirations of East Pakistan caused a major dilemma for Muslim Bengal. The views and attitudes of the orhanisation were directly opposed to such forms of Islamic Fundamentalism and the oppression of Bengali people by the repressive government of Pakistan. A number of Bengali writers who belonged to this association were interested in giving greater recognition to Bengali language and literature.

Activities

The regular bimonthly meetings of the association were held in the office of Saogat at Patuatuli, Dhaka.The meetings involved poetry recitation and exchange of ideas. Special literary sessions were also held on famous Bengali writers such as {Rabindranath Tagore, Ustad Alauddin Khan and others.Hasan Hafizur Rahman edited a literary anthology in 1953 under the auspices of this association. Another successful achievement of this association was its holding of a literary conference in Dhaka in 1958. In this conference 108 writers, journalists, and scholars expressed their determination to foster Bengali literature culture.

Demise

The organisation became defunct after 1958, when Pakistan imposed its draconian martial law in East Pakistan.East Pakistani writers and intellectuals subsequently joined the Pakistan Writers' Organisation and its eastern branch.

ee also

*History of Bangladesh
*East Pakistan
*Bangladesh Liberation War

References

* [http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/P_0031.htm Pakistan Sahitya Sangsad] - Banglapedia
* [http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/19/op.htm Militancy in Bangladesh] - Tanvir Ahmad Khan