Bangladesh Literary Resource Centre

Bangladesh Literary Resource Centre (BLRC), Dhaka, Bangladesh was formed in September 2005. This government registered organization promises to work on the worldwide exposition of Bangla/Bangladeshi literature.

History

The history of BLRC lies in the creation of www.bangladeshinovels.com, the first and large English-language web site on Bangla / Bangladeshi literature. The site is operated solely by Subrata Kumar Das, its author & administrator. Bangladeshinovels.com was first inaugurated by eminent intellectual of the country Prof. Serajul Islam Choudhury on 2nd October 2003 where noted intellectuals and writers like Rabeya Khatun, Rizia Rahman, Abubakar Siddique, Dr. Monsur Musa, Muhammad Nurul Huda , Prof. Muhammed Jafar Iqbal , Prof. Fakrul Alam, Moinul Ahsan Saber, Dr Masuduzzaman , Imdadul Haque Milon were present and gave positive deliberation on this site. Almost all of the national dailies published news and views on its inauguration. The electronic media also gave huge coverage. Since the inception it has received several updating.
[http://www.thedailystar.net/2003/10/04/d31004140184.htm News Link]

On 25th February 2005 a Bangla-language section under a Secondary Home Page had been added to the site where huge Bangla materials on the novels of Bangladesh have been incorporated. It was opened by prominent intellectual Prof. Mustafa Nurul Islam in the Bangla Academy Book Fair where Poet Al Mahmud, Muhammad Nurul Huda, Imdadul Haque Milon and Nasreen Jahan were present. The Bangla Section has been dedicated to the language martyrs of International Mother Language Day.
[http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/03/02/d50302160395.htm News Link]

This web site encompasses a chronological scenario of the novel genre of Bangladesh and it has already created much exhilaration among the media and literary groups of the country as well as among the expatriate Bangla-speaking people across the world. The venture with a view to presenting the rich literary resources of Bangladesh before the students, teachers, researchers and all other interested persons round the globe has also been appraised enormously. As a result of it the site has been linked at different prestigious sites on South Asian Literature.On all the occasions people advised the site author and administrator to take an initiative to do something for the literature of Bangladesh where many writers can contribute on many genres. As a result BLRC emerges.

Committee

* Chairman: Prof. Mozaffar Hossain
* Executive Director: Subrata Kumar Das

Objectives

*1. To promote Bangla language and literature;
*2. To promote translation of Bangla literature;
*3. To make materials on Bangla language and literature available online to the Bangla-speaking people living across the world and to the foreign researchers;
*4. To create a resource that Bangla language and literature can face the challenges of globalization;
*5. To provide information about International Mother Language Day;
*6. To provide resource that foreign universities giving courses on Bangla literature do not lack sufficient materials;
*7. To publish books and journals on the promotion of Bangla language and literature;
*8. To publish websites that can help the online promotion of Bangla language and literature;
*9. To make people across the globe interested in Bangla literature;
*10. To collect and disseminate information on our literature and language;
*11. To create a reader-group that will help to enhance the position of Bangladesh and its people;
*12. To make a platform for all literary personalities to contribute;
*13. To establish different kinds of projects and units through exchange of information, experience and skill as decided by the governing body with the objectives of the Centre;
*14. To organize and participate in exchange of meetings, training seminar comprising domestic and foreign researchers and writers;
*15. To undertake all necessary activities to generate and mobilize the common people to go to Internet;
*16. To develop materials for educational programmes;
*17. To establish libraries and information services centre to achieve the objectives of the Centre;
*18. To work, co-operate, assist, make joint programs with international organizations, bodies, agencies, and associations interested in and devoted to activities for Bangla literature and such other allied activities;
*19. To undertake or promote research activities on various aspects of Bangla language and literature;
*20. To establish and support training centres, schools, conduct and arrange training programmes on information technology and so on.
*21. To encourage, support, help, assist, cooperate the forthcoming writers in many ways that they can have opportunity to express themselves and come forward to playing a vital role for expansion of Bangla literature.
*22. To arrange research programme on every genre of literature which is the essence of Bangla literature.
*23. To set up sales centres which shall provide literary materials to the beneficiaries.

Events

On 03 August 2006: Seminar on ‘Bangla Language: A Foreign Perspective’
* Venue: The Modern Language Institute Auditorium, Dhaka University
* Key-Note Speaker: Dr. Hanne-Ruth Thompson
* School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
* London University
* Chair: Professor Dr. Maniruzzaman
* Discussant: Prof Mozaffar Hossain
* Moderator: Subrata Kumar Das [http://www.newagebd.com/2006/aug/04/met.html European expert gives lecture in Bangla]

On 9 December 2005: Internal meeting
* Writers who were present:
* Dr. Akimun Rahman
* Chanchal Saha Opu
* Chanchal Shahariar
* Dulal Al Monsur
* Kabir Humayun
* Mejbah Ahmed
* Moni Haidar
* Nasreen Zahan
* Soumitra Dev
* Dr Tapan Baghchi
* Saikat HabibDecision: BLRC should have a web site where writings by many could be posted.

References

[http://www.newagebd.com/2006/aug/04/met.html The Daily New Age]