A civic memorial meeting was held at the Central Shaheed Minar in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday to pay tribute to poet and editor Amit Chowdhury, a prominent literary figure of the 1970s.
The meeting was chaired by educationist Professor Someshwar Chakraborty, with poet Mohammad Nurul Huda, Chowdhury’s former classmate Advocate Mohammad Jahangir, Principal Omar Faruk, Cox’s Bazar Literary Academy President Nurul Islam, political figure and academy governing council chairman Ruhul Kader Babul, writer and researcher Mokbul Ahmed, former education officer Nasir Uddin and Professor Ajit Das, among others, recalling his life and work.
Speakers said Chowdhury had been a dedicated poet and editor in Bangla literature and culture. Rather than seeking personal recognition, he devoted himself to literature, recognising fellow writers and creating a creative space for emerging authors.
They said his long literary journey, humanism and editorial contributions would remain part of the country’s literary and cultural heritage.
The meeting was moderated by Antik Chakraborty, member secretary of the Civic Memorial Council. Poet Shamim Akhtar, the council’s convener, delivered the welcome address.
Among others, Daily Cox’s Bazar Managing Editor Mohammad Mujibul Islam, engineer Badiul Alam, cultural figure Ashraful Huda Siddiq Jamshed, poet Sirajul Haque Siraj, social worker and organiser Sarwar Roman, cultural organiser Khorshed Alam, Subimal Pal, poet Alam Tawhid and Sourav Deb also spoke.
Essayist and researcher Ali Prayas read out Chowdhury’s biography, while recitation artists Advocate Pratibha Das, Minhaj Chowdhury and Chashi Choton recited his poems.
The Satyen Sen Shilpi Goshthi, Cox’s Bazar district unit, presented a cultural programme.
Poet Asif Noor and journalists Jahed Sarwar Sohel, Sarwar Azam Manik, Shahin Manik, Monir Mobarak, Azad Mansur and Nur Mohammad were also present.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Photo: Abdu Rashid Manik
