সম্পাদকীয়

This is the first time ever the Bangla Journal has invited guest editors from among the Bangla-speaking people to prepare the entire section on the main theme selected for the current issue. Since the main theme was ‘The thoughts and ideas of the new generation of Bangalis,’ we intended to elicit a response from some representatives of that generation, who would volunteer to take up the editorial task. We hoped that the response to our call would come not only from Bangladesh and Poshchim Banga, where the majority of Bangalis live but come even from overseas Bangali diaspora writers’ circles. But our expectations didn’t materialize; instead, we have found only Sohul Ahmed and Sarwar Tushar from Bangladesh, who came forward to play the role of guest editors. The Journal is grateful to them. Their edited section at least gives us a partial picture of what the new generation is concerned with, even though it’s mostly centered around socio-politico-cultural concerns expressed by the middle class of Bangladesh. The Journal, as well as the guest editors, admit that even in this partial picture there remains a gap: the gap of gender balance. In spite of all efforts, Sohul and Sarwar couldn’t harness any female representation in their section.

In addition to the section prepared by the guest editors, in our regular slot, we are presenting Sandipan Sen’s discussion on how Rabindranath time and again remains relevant to the members of a new generation, irrespective of their languistic, culutural and geographical specificities. One of the benefits of social media and modern communication technologies is the revival and regeration of indigenous and minority languages hitherto were on the brink of extinction. This is evident in Canada for some indigenous languages. We see similar examples among people of other tongues living near Bangla-dominated areas. Bhaswati Roy shows in her article how social media is augmenting the Rajbongshi Kamtapuri language movement. Similarly, Sampriti Mukherjee in her article examines how the new media opens up a space for feminist performativity. Arnab Saha in his long detailed article explores the tension between the traditonal and Victorial moral codes regarding conjugality and sexual discourse during the late 19th century colonial Bengal. Tanmoy Malakar in his article discusses how British colonial rulers had practiced physical torture against Indian subjects as part of Policing, despite their declared lofty ideal of rule of laws. The historical ties between Central Asia and the Indo-Pak-Bangla subcontinent are quite old, and yet there’s an amnesia in our intellectual exercise to orient ourselves towards that area, its people and their culture. Nandini Bhattacharya has been focusing on that area for a while. In her article, Nandini discusses how Tajik poets are re-inventing national identity in the post-Soviet era. In addtion, we’re presenting writer Amar Mitra’s speech delivered at Asian Writers’ Conference in Kazakhstan, a book review by Amina Khatun, Neerawb’s poem and a translation of Bangladesh’s renowned writer Shahidul Zahir’s short story, Kathure O Dnarkak.

We always try to publish articles, reflections, research and views on Bangla and Bangali by Non-Bangali writers. The Bangla Journal so far hasn’t published any piece written in Bangla by any Non-Bangali writer. Contemporary Bangali readers most probably are familiar with poet William Radice’s Bangla articles. People who are in the academia and engaged in research may come across Bangla writings by Non- Bangali scholars (such as Russian and Chinese), which lay readers are not to be expected to know about. We are glad to fulfil this gap. The current issue is presenting a long piece written in Bangla by the young Polish writer Kamil Siedczy? ski, which readers may find quite enjoyable