The 89th birthday of Dhaka University emeritus professor Serajul Islam Choudhury, one of the country’s most prominent public intellectuals, was celebrated on Sunday.
Marking his birthday, an open meeting and cultural programme was organized at Bangladesh Shishu Academy Auditorium on June 29. Professor Sirajul Islam Chowdhury will give an autobiographical speech titled 'Firey Dekha' in the meeting.
An academic, essayist, literary critic, political analyst, activist, historian, translator and columnist, Serajul Islam Choudhury has won renown for being vocal against injustice and inspiring people to join the struggle for freedom of speech and against violation of fundamental rights.
Born at Baroikhali village in Bikrampur (today’s Munshiganj) on June 23, 1936, the academic-cum-public intellectual, continues to offer a sharp socio-political critique of the undemocratic world.
He also raised his voice against illegal land grabbing, river pollution, felling of trees at Osmani Udyan, construction of a commercial building at the courtyard of the celebrated baul Lalon Shah’s shrine and of an airport at Arial Beel in Munshiganj destroying agricultural lands.
Having had his schooling in Rajshahi, Kolkata and Dhaka, he passed his matriculation from Saint Gregory’s High School in 1950 and his intermediate from Notre Dame College in 1952.
Having earned a master’s degree in English from Dhaka University, he joined the university’s English department in 1957 as a lecturer and served it for the next 45 years. He is now a professor emeritus.
