Feature

Star Campus - ETC Book Reading Afternoon

Star Campus Desk

IT was not like any other afternoon at the book section of ETC, situated on Road 27, Dhanmondi, where people, young and old, go every day to browse and buy books from a large collection. Something different took place at one corner of the book section on Saturday afternoon when about 27 young college and university students converged there. They came from BUET, Dhaka University, North South University, BRAC University, IUB, Stamford University, AIUB and some colleges of the city. As everyone waited, entered a very young Efad, and young at heart, but our very own, Syed Badrul Ahsan. With them around, we could sense that something other than the mundane was about to happen. Folks, let's go upstairs and do some looking around.

At one corner of the book section, two large and clean carpets were laid out on the floor. Everyone sat in a circle. Everyone introduced himself or herself and then it was time for Efad to comment on a book he has read recently. The book was on our liberation war and its selection was befitting in the month of March. It was titled “A Golden Age”, authored by Tahmima Anam. Efad, himself an avid reader and a book reviewer, talked eloquently on the novel and its characters and how they went through a painful journey in the months of the liberation war. Efad was able to arouse curiosity in the young audience by telling them that the writer was born years after the war had ended and that the novel had already received many prestigious awards abroad. Many were happy to know that the book has been translated into Bangla and is now available in the market.

The book reading generated healthy discussion amongst the students and they had many questions about the novel, the writer and our liberation war itself.

It was the second half of the “hour and a half” programme and turn for Syed Badrul Ahsan to talk about a book and its writer. He chose the book “Half Of A Yellow Sun” by the Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The work, more a historical-fictional account than a novel, deals with issues that upset lives in the course of the Biafra war between 1967 and 1970. Ahsan sought to draw links between Anam's book and Adichie's work, pointing out of course that where the Bangladesh war of liberation reached a successful conclusion, the Biafran struggle collapsed in defeat. He also answered questions, that embraced a wide canvas of issues ranging from the need to uphold history to the requirement of a trial of war criminals in Bangladesh.

In the end, students expressed their satisfaction at the programme organized jointly by ETC (A concern of Ascent Group) and Star Campus and looked forward to attending such programmes in the future. On behalf of Star Campus and The Daily Star, Shahnoor Wahid thanked the participants, especially Prof. Asrar Chowdhury, who came to attend despite the day being a holiday for him. He also thanked ETC authorities and young and energetic Moin for arranging a suitable venue for the programme.

Star Campus and ETC will organize book reading and discussion programme once every month in the same venue. Selected students will be invited to attend. Those who are regular readers of Star Campus and are interested to attend are requested to let us have your contact phone numbers. Please note that two different persons will discuss on two books in the programme. Students are especially encouraged to come and talk about books they have found very interesting.

Special thanks to Prito Reza for taking some wonderful pictures of the event.