CALUTTA UNIVERSITY BANGLADESH SAHAYAK SAMITI
SECRETARY’S REPORT
The Calcutta University Bangladesh Sahayak Samiti was formed on April 3, 1971, at a meeting of student, employees, officers and teachers of the University, teachers of affiliated colleges and members of different University bodies. The committee has Prof. Satyendranath Sen Vice-Chancellor, as its president, Prof. PK. Basu. Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, as working president and Shri Hirendramohan Majumdar, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Business Affairs and Finance, as treasurer.
An initial donation of Rs. 5000 by the Calcutta University formed the nucleus of the committee’s fund and the committee started functioning immediately.
Since its inception the committee has been rendering considerable assistance to the war evacuees. Apart from food packets, medicine and first-aid equipment have been sent. Because of the heavy influx of war evacuees-whose number has already crossed fifteen lakhs-we have had to spend several thousands of rupees and considerable energy in this sphere. Sm. Bina howmik (an alumnus of the University) along with a small team of considerable assistance in this matter. Teachers and students of schools and colleges also have lent a ready hand.
Our president sent telegrams to the Prime Minister of India and the Director general, UNESCO, amongst others on April 5 1971. In his telegram to the Prime Minister our president drew her attention to the need for giving recognition to Bangladesh. Our president drew the attention of the Director-General, UNESCO, to the dastardly attack on Bangladesh and substantial destruction of the Universities of Dacca, Rajshahi and Chittagong, including mass murder of teachers and students. He also drew the Director-General’s attention to the unabated genocide committed by the Pakistan army in Bangladesh. The Director-General has sent a telegraphic acknowledgement expressing his sympathies for the victims of genocide. The Prime Minister also has acknowledged the telegram.
One of our aims is to help those teachers of universities and other educational institutions in Bangladesh who have crossed over to India. We have offered and shall continue to offer temporary financial assistance to these teachers and we have opend a Register for them. Dr. Aniruddha Roy of Post-Graduate Islamic History and Culture department, in co-opperation with Sri Anil Sarkar of Post-Graduate Commerce and Shri Pijush Das, Shri Angsuman Malik and Shri Anil Basu, has taken charge of this department. The Syndicate of the Calcutta University has drawn up a scheme for offering visiting professorships/lectureships to the scholars from Bangladesh. With the concurrence of University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Education, Government of India, the scheme can be spread over the whole of India. The Scheme can have already written to the different State Governments and contacted some of them. We hope that something will come out of these efforts.
