Interview Episode:
The Central Muslim Sahitya Sangasad is an incorporation of Unique Scholars of the Literary, Cultural, History and Traditions of this Subcontinent.

Politics is the key to the nation.
Library is the mother of university.

…Dewan AH Mahmud Raza Chowdhury

Abdul Kadir Jibon: Sir, how are you?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Alhamdulillah. I am good at the mercy of Allah.

Abdul Kadir Jibon : We want to know about the history of the CMSS.
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: The Central Muslim Sahitya Sangasad (CMSS) is an incorporation of Unique Scholars of the literary, cultural, history and traditions of this subcontinent. Because from the beginning of the year, CMSS has been conducted well by its own finances and the history of Sylhet continues to be the face of CMSS, donated the oldest literary Magazine Al-Islah, founder editor and a man of letters Manishi Mohammed Nurul Haque.

Abdul Kadir Jibon : What is the current status of CMSS?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: As good as it was in the past, it is still good. In keeping with the traditional heritage, its own activities are being conducted and managed.

Abdul Kadir Jibon : What plans do you or your family (CMSS) have for the future of the organization?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: The CMSS has taken timely steps in each case. The ancient era, the Middle Ages, the colonial era and the modern age are in the society. Therefore, since the colonial era was established or created in the four-step social system, the creative institutions of that era have been collecting all kinds of books from the ancient period to the present era. In the technologically globalized era, the slogan of writers of Sylhet from the CMSS premises intended to present a message to the world that the world in the coming century will be that of an “Information Revolution.” The CMSS is moving toward that direction. In the era of information technology, the development process of CMSS’s website will be continued. We are firmly committed to managing the library effectively in the future.

Abdul Kadir Jibon : Many people think of CMSS as a Jamaat only, what is your comment or opinion on it?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: All citizens have the right to be involved in various social institutions from past to present. From that point of view, in the current social system, the citizens of Bangladesh are involved with this organization. Just as there are all kinds of fish in the sea, it is a natural and fundamental right for people of different ideals to get involved with this institution. If people of different perspectives think they are more involved in an ideological group than in an organization, it is not all that appealing. From that point of view, I think this organization is not governed by a single ideal.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: Most of the people commented recently a lot on the election of CMSS, what is the reason? And will the next election be in accordance with the constitution?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: From the creation of CMSS till now a constitutional one has been operating in its own constitutional process. Where various clauses have been mentioned in the context of elections from Article K to Article E of the lesson of the Constitution. In that light, the electoral process is conducted. There, full or single candidates take part in various positions. The Executive Council is elected by direct voting. Or a panel is submitted to the Election commission with mutual consent of everyone. In that case, votes are no longer needed. Many comment against the election, which I do not think is reasonable. The next election will be in accordance with the constitution.

Abdul Kadir Jibon : Being the General Secretary of this organization is a great achievement. What was your dream as a kid?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Dreams are a valuable aspect of human life. So people choose to dream. People’s dreams and fantasies of the future contribute to the advancement of the human life. However, in the case where the power of thought arises, it strives to reach a united goal. This is normal. Some can succeed and some cannot.

Abdul Kadir Jibon : We want to hear your success story.
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: The dream and imagination of the human population is living with thoughts. In that case, many succeed and many fail. I personally have been successful in many areas, but in many cases I have not.

Among the various accomplishments, I have succeeded in politics and literature. Personally, I am a believer of Bangladesh Nationalism. Due to this, I am the General Secretary and President of Nationalist Social Cultural Organization (JASAS), the third organization of the Sylhet City Party, set up by Martyred President Ziaur Rahman. On the other hand, I am the General Secretary of CMSS in both literary and cultural contexts.

Politics is the key to the nation and literature and culture are the tools of life revolution. The amount of respect I get from these two aspects, I haven’t got the same amount of respect for other aspects. For that I am extremely grateful to the people of Sylhet.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: Tell us about a memory starting your failure in Life.
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Life comes with Successes and Failure. They are complementary to each other. Today, the Great Allah has given me some success because of my failures.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: Say something you always wanted to do and say something you never wanted to do?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: In the Holy Quran, the most progressive book of the world, Allah says “…My Mercy embraces all things” [7:156] Allah’s mercy is like a sheet covering the sheet of love are humanity, literature, culture, politics, economics etc. I revere love, history and tardition. Allah has entrusted every human child in the world as a Representative, I am not respectful of that which has no love humanity.

Abdul Kadir Jibon : Which work always inspires you?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Social responsibility motivates me the most. In order to awaken the human sense of life, one must know from past to present.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: What do you like to do apart from work?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Reading books and traveling are my favorite things.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: What do you prefer to do?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: I do not like doing anything against humanity.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: What is your assessment of current literature?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Literature is the key to human values. From what we see or feel in literary practice, the mindset of literary practice is diminishing day by day, which is insignificant in numbers. In the past, there were more or less paintings in the library, or an attempt to collect books. In the past there was too much to read stored in a book. Currently the drawing room has become the TV disroom.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: Who is your favorite author? Which of his writings do you like most?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Syed Mujtaba Ali is my favorite author. I like his articles about history among the various subjects of his writings.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: Which book have you always wanted to read?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: I have always wanted to read history books.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: What would you like to say about young writers?
Dewan AH Mahmood Raja Chowdhury: Whatever literature the young people are practicing, is not hopeless. Whereas from the time of the creation of the earth till now, the richly recognized languages of the inter-genre are literature in different languages – Arabic, English, Urdu, Farsi etc. The languages that were adopted in the highest seats or in terms of expressing their views on culture, economy, politics are very rare in the current generation of young people to collect food from the culture of the society that has been developed in different language-based contexts. For which the path to development of meritocracy is decreasing. At present the youth is influenced by information technology. The bad news of technology – Facebook, Youtube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google, which are the five things that human beings have – passion, anger, greed, masculinity and allure – always push people to the bad. Due to which the Misery of technology are more than the benefits. The mindset or habit of reading books based on the library has completely faded.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: Who is your favorite poet? Which of his poems do you like?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: National poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is my favorite poet. I like his rebel poetry the most.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: What is your favorite song? Which song do you like about Shah Abdul Karim?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Landlord, musician, songwriter, mystic poet and philosopher Dewan Hason Raja’s song ÒNi evox Avgvi bq, Avwg‡Zv †mB N‡ii gvwjK bBÓ. Bangladeshi “Baul Samrat” and musician Shah Abdul Karim’s Ò¯^P‡ÿ ‡`wLjvg wejv‡ZÓ

Abdul Kadir Jibon: We want to know your opinion and assessment of the context of current politics?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: I have already said that politics is the key to the nation. It is the people who go ahead with the mindset of serving the people through politics. The public’s comment on the mandate of the people plays an important role in building a society led by multiple people. However, in the current politics extending over the whole universe, we see the political leadership is being more demanded by the capitalist society. It is evident that for the most part, those who are representing the public have become politicians rather than money earner in the face of the development of the people.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: What do you think is our responsibility as human being?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Almighty Allah has given every human being the responsibility of the human race since the creation of the human race, but in that case some can carry out the responsibility well and some cannot.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: Tell us your evaluation of the conduct of a good cultured young youth?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Since culture is an outward manifestation of what we have done, we can present that work in a beautiful, coherent way in the construction of society where human welfare plays an important role.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: We want to know about your writings?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: I have written Articles, Poems and those published in the local, national newspapers and in the Al-Islah.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: What is your assessment of the Library as ‘Lighthouse of Inspiration?
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: ‘Library is the mother of university’ Libraries and Museums are the mouthpieces for the emergence of a nation. The only way to destroy a nation is to destroy a library or a museum. It is the ideal form of building society. From there light spreads all around. We get regular light from there. It is the lighthouse of inspiration.

Abdul Kadir Jibon: Thanks for giving us your valuable time
Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury: Thanks to you, too.

Dewan A.H. Mahmud Raza Chowdhury is one of the few potential young men who took up the spirit of the Renaissance movement, reflecting the spiritual ideology in poetry, creating a spiritual sense of poetry are his aesthetic feature. He was born on 3 December in 1969 at Panail (Dohalia) under Doara Bazar Police Station in Sunamganj District, to a well-to-do landlord family in the village. His Father is Mufid Raja Chowdhury and Mother Syeda Choifa Khatun. His entrance into literature took place in the mid-nineties. He completed his LLB in education. He was a pioneer in the anti-naming movement of the highly regarded Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Sylhet; Member Secretary of Sylhet Mobile Pathagar and General Secretary of Sylhet Writers’ Council. He is also an Entrepreneur Member of Sylhet Metropolitan Law College and Metropolitan Kinder Garten. He is the General Secretary of Sylhet City of Nationalist Social Cultural Organization (JASAS). Besides, the monthly magazine “POBAN” is Edited by him and he is one of the editors of the Writers’ Conference ‘1997’. He is currently the two-time elected General Secretary of the Central Muslim Sahitya Sangsad and the editor-in-chief of the oldest literary magazine Al-Islah.

This interview is taken by Abdul Kadir Jibon, Editor of The Earth of Autograph (a magazine of English literature).