December-2022(Minutes)

Gantha December, 24; Virtual Meeting

Gantha held its meeting on 24thDecember at 6.00 p.m. as scheduled and it ended at 7:30 p.m. Themeeting was conducted by Jackie Kabir. Many regular members couldn’t join as they were out of town as it is the time of year to travel. The speakers, and the writers they spoke about, werethe following:

1. Tasneeem Hossain talked on KhaledaEdib Chowdhury.

2. Niaz Zaman talked on Jharna Das Purkayostho.

Jackie briefly talked about the Women’s Writers Project. She mentioned KhaledaEdib Chowdhury’s daughter SumonaHaq who is a singer and painter.

Tasneem Hossain mentioned that some of the famous songs sung by Sumona were written by KhaledaEdib Chowdhury. She was born in Comilla and started her writing career by writing in Magazine Begum. She has written 43 books.She was awarded with AlaolPuroskar, Bangla Academy Puroskar among many others. Ms Hossain read three poems, Polatok,NotunShobbhotarjonmo Hobe And Ekta ShudhaShishirkona

Dr Niaz Zamanbegan her speech byremembering the martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for liberating the country in this month of December in 1971. Then she talked about the life and works of Jharna Das Purkayotho who was born on 27th July 1945 in Sunamganj. She is a Gantha member. She was a writer on juvenile literature, poems and short stories and novels.

 She was awarded EkusheyPadak this year (2021). She was awarded the Bangla Academy Puroskar in 2017. Then she read. An excerpt from her short story BanniJalawas read by Dr Zaman.

The meeting concluded with a decision to hold the next meeting on 21stJanuary 2023. Jackie will try to book a room at EMK center for the meeting.

The editors of the project need to put down some rules for the contributors and analyze their progress. It was decided they would meet on the 11th in some place near Gulshan or Banani.

 Some members have volunteered to discuss their chosen writers in January: Niaz Zaman, Sauda Akhtar, Jobaira Biswas and Jackie Kabir.

List of attendees in December Meeting:

1. Niaz Zaman

2. Tasneem Hossain

3. Jackie Kabir

4. Nasreen Kabir

5. Sauda Akhter