NEWSLETTER Vol. 22, No. 1, January - March 2016 Editor: Professor Dr. AKM Golam Rabbani Nimtali Deuri Editor's Note helm of the Society in January 2016. hard and thinking how to develop the As per constitution, the Asiatic Society in its manifold plans and To begin with we regret to announce that Society of Bangladesh gets a new works. We have already undertaken three eminent personalites─Mr. AKM Council after every two years when its plans to expedite the research and Zakariah, Professor Shirin Akhtar and Biennial General Meeting, the most publication works of the Asiatic Professor Afia Dil are no more among important event in the calendar of the Society of Bangladesh. We have taken us. They will be remembered for their Society, is held. Accordingly, the new a plan of posting the profiles of the enormous contributions to the Society in Council for the period 2016-2017 Council Members on the Society’s particular and the nation in general. We (News follows at page 3) led by website. One of the important features of pay glowing tributes to their departed Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury our plan is the reprinting of the Society’s took office in January 2016. souls (News follows at page 10). publications that are much in demand. We also announce with pleasure that Since our take-over we have started About 19 books including those of the newly elected Council took the the ball rolling. We have been working Dhaka Project are in the pipeline. A Quarterly Asiatic Society of Bangladesh Of them, XvKv †Kvl and XvKvq †Mwijv hy× Biennial General Meeting. Professor Syed Rashidul Hasan, Professor Md. 1971 have already been out. Amirul Islam Chowdhury, President of Harunor Rashid Khan. evsjv‡`‡ki BwZnvm 1704-1971 (3 LÐ) the Society, delivered the Foundation and History of Bangladesh Day Lecture on Higher Education in Professor Amirul Islam 1704-1971 (3 volumes) are now in Bangladesh: Impact of Globalization Chowdhury, the newly elected press. Another milestone over the 4 and Privatization. President of the Asiatic Society month tenure of the Council is the The last Biennial General Meeting implementation of the new pay scale was held on 3 January, 2016 in the as announced by the government. Society. Constitutionally every two The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, year a new elected Council takes as you know, is an organization of office of the Asiatic Society of high repute both nationally and Bangladesh and this Council was internationally. It has been announced in the Biennial General promoting dissemination of Meeting. There was only one panel knowledge, learning and research headed by Professor Amirul Islam since its very inception in 1952. It Chowdhury, former Vice- Chancellor, has been pre-eminent in the Jahangirnagar University. The panel Eminent educator and economist publication of scholarly books and was proposed by Professor Dr. Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury was journals. Our learned publications Harun-or-Rashid, Vice Chancellor, born in 1942 in Rangpur, Bangladesh. (So far we have published 217 National University and seconded by Professor Chowdhury did his books apart from three Journals) Professor Dr. Feroza Yasmin, undergraduate (1961) and graduation have won praise and laurels from the Department of Linguistics, Dhaka (1963) in Economics from Dhaka intellectual and academic arena at University. The panel earlier University. He obtained his Ph.D from home and abroad. The mission of approved by the Council on 24 the University of Wales in 1979 in Local the Society’s founding fathers was to December, 2015 and ratified by the Government Finance in Bangladesh. make it a centre of oriental studies Monthly General Meeting on 27 He did his post-graduate research from and a meeting place of scholars from December, 2015 was declared duly Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, home and abroad who would be elected in the Biennial General Meeting India in 1987-88 and produced a engaged in researches and produce held on 3 January, 2016. While Monograph on Comparative City scholarly works. We still follow the presenting the biennial report of the Financing of Bangladesh and India. His same ideal and think in terms of Society the out-going General Secretary area of interest is Local Government producing works of scholarship. We read out the names of the newly elected leave no stone unturned to make the office bearers of the Council for the year and Urban Economics. Society a centre of excellence. We 2016-2017. The formation of this Professor Chowdhury jointly edited two still have miles and miles to go. Council is as follows: books and published several articles President- Professor Amirul Islam and book chapters in local government, ASB celebrated its two Chowdhury, Vice- Presidents- urban finance and higher education. He important events together Professor Mahfuza Khanam, successfully supervised two Ph.D Professor Sharif uddin Ahmed, Mr. research students. He was the editor of The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh Ekram Ahmed, Treasurer- Professor the Faculty journal of Social Science, celebrated two most important events Pradip Kumar Roy, General Jahangirnagar University for several of its calendar– the 64th Founding Secretary- Professor AKM Golam issues. He has been teaching and doing Anniversary and 16th Biennial Rabbani, Secretary- Dr. Sabbir research in Economics since April 1964 General meeting together with great Ahmed, Members- Professor Hafiza and retired in 2004 from Jahangirnagar enthusiasm on Sunday 3 January, Khatun, Professor Z.N. Tahmida University and later joined North 2016 in its campus. Dr. Abdul Momin Begum, Professor Akmal Hussain, South University and taught as core Chowdhury, former Professor of Professor Khondoker Bazlul Hoque, faculty till September 2009 and now History, University of Dhaka and Professor Nazmul Karim Chowdhury, teaching in United International former Vice-Chancellor, National Mr. Mofidul Hoque, Professor University. He did consultancy work for University graced the occasion as Sajahan Miah, Professor Abul ADB, ESCAP, UNDP, WB, and other Chief Guest and inaugurated the Monsur Md. Abu Musa, Professor international groups. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh Council: 2016-2017 Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury President Professor Mahfuza Khanam Professor Sharif uddin Ahmed Mr. Ekram Ahmed Vice-President Vice-President Vice-President Professor Pradip Kumar Roy Professor AKM Golam Rabbani Dr. Sabbir Ahmed Professor Abdul Momin Chowdhury Professor ABM Husain Treasurer General Secretary Secretary Fellow Fellow Members Professor Hafiza Khatun Professor ZN Tahmida Begum Professor Akmal Hussain Professor Khondoker Bazlul Hoque Professor Nazmul Karim Chowdhury Mr. Mofidul Hoque Professor Sajahan Miah Professor Abul Monsur Md. Abu Musa Professor Syed Rashidul Hasan Professor Md. Harunor Rashid Khan Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury the years 2012-2015. He demonstrated Mr. Aurora a standing ovation at a teaches History of Economic Ideas, his academic and organizing skill in mammoth meeting organized in honour Urban Economics, Political Economy holding 60 lectures and publishing 40 of Lieutenant Jagjit Singh Aurora, the of Bangladesh, Microeconomics, lectures as booklet. He published nearly first Indian heavyweight to visit Sherpur Underground Economy and 40 articles, a number of books and after the liberation of Bangladesh. Mr. Globalization. He was the contributed a lot as editor and member Abdul Majid’s three sons were directly Vice-Chancellor of Jahangirnagar of the Editorial Boards to many research involved in the Liberation War of University from 1994-1998. He also works and well–reputed published Bangladesh in 1971. The news of arrival served as the first Vice- Chancellor of academic volumes. As the Deputy Chief of the Army Commander, Eastern Gano Bishabidayalya for a year. Coordinator and Managing Editor of the Command during 1971 War was widely 400 Years of the Capital Dhaka Project circulated at home and abroad and Professor AKM Golam Rabbani, Professor Rabbani made immense published and telecast with photographs the newly elected General contribution to the publication of 18 of the Commander, local leaders and the Secretary of the Society books on various aspects of Urban huge crowd of Sherpur. Dhaka in the years 2008-2012. Professor Rabbani belongs to many learned bodies both at home and Professor Golam Rabbani served as abroad and continues contributing to the Editor of ITIHAS of the History, the these organizations in various Journal of Bangladesh Itihas Parishad, capacities. He has traveled many as the Senate Member in the years countries of Asia and Europe mainly 2009-2012 and Syndicate Member in India, Nepal, Bhutan, United Kingdom, the years 1996-1998 of Dhaka Belgium, Germany, Australia, Italy, University, as the Joint Secretary of Switzerland, France and attended Dhaka University Teachers’ Association many conferences and seminars and (DUTA) in 2011 and the Teachers’ Dr. AKM Golam Rabbani, Professor, presented papers over there. Association of the Bangladesh Open Department of Islamic History and University in the years 1995-1996 and Culture, University of Dhaka, former Asiatic Society of Bangladesh as one of the youngest members of the Secretary, Asiatic Society of observed its 64th Founding Federation of Bangladesh Teachers’ Bangladesh and former Deputy Chief Anniversary Association (FBUTA). Co-ordinator and Managing Editor of The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh the Celebration of the 400 Years of Dr. Rabbani, a researcher and observed its 64th Founding Anniversary Capital Dhaka Project has been academic, has made his mark in the on January 3, 2016 with great elected General Secretary of the research and publication works of the enthusiasm in the Society with a Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. As the new General Secretary of the Society Foundation Day Lecture by Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury, President of Professor AKM Golam Rabbani he has undertaken a plan of reprinting the Asiatic Society and former Vice- earned his Ph. D. from the University a number of most sought-after Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University of Nottingham, England in 2006 on publications of the Society. Of them, XvKv on Higher Education in Bangladesh: Urban Studies.