Sabyasachi Hazra's Primer to Press

The epoch we live in, which started fourteen thousand years ago, is called the Holocene epoch while traces of the first village were found in Turkey some 10,000 years ago. Civilization is claimed to have started since the discovery of writing in the Sumer region of the Middle East some 6,000 years ago. Many famous nations of the world, such as English or French, do not have their own alphabet. Their language is written in Roman alphabet. We Bengalis are fortunate to have alphabet of our own. Just as no one values the luck that is found incidentally, Bengali alphabet also cannot be said to have received much attention from native researchers. Not many books or articles have been written about the Bengali alphabet in Bangladesh, known as the 'Land of Language Movement'.

For quite some time now, a 'skinny' Bengali youth, whose name is Sabyasachi Hazra, has voluntarily taken up the 'enormous' responsibility of alleviating this slander. Sabyasachi's exhibition held at Dhaka Alliance Française from May 3, 2024 to May 18, 2024 had at least two subjects: 1) Bengali primers or alphabet learning books and 2) Bengali manual printing press, the 'Letterpress' as it is called. Almost all the technologies used in primer printing were in this exhibition. Letterpress printing is one of those technologies. After the letterpress, linotype, then offset, now the era of computer printing is underway. Twenty years ago there might have been a letterpress printing technology available in countryside. Over the past two decades, letterpress machines have gone from being unused to once sold by weight to being melted down in furnaces.

Luckily for us, Sabyasachi somehow managed to bring a machine and its owner Mohammad Haleem to the exhibition. It is a matter of wonder as to how did Mr Haleem survive for so many decades in this cruel world with this technology at a narrow thoroughfare in Neelkhet, in the words of Jibananand, 'It is a wonder!' During the exhibition, Mr Haleem showed his machine in the gallery of AFD. Apart from this, all the equipment of the letterpress was arranged for display. Sabyasachi also explained to the inquisitive audience how to cut the letters made of lead, how to arrange letter after letter for printing, to apply ink to the letters and finally to 'brighten' the face of the white paper with printed letters. A separate compilation with pictures of the letterpress and its various machinery would also be a wonderful work, no doubt.Each page of primers like 'Balyashikkha (Childhood Education)', 'Adarshalipi', 'Hasikhushi' etc. were arranged like pictures on the gallery wall. A beautifully printed collection of primers entitled 'Barnamala' has also been published. Those who want to collect all the primers must collect this book by Kobi Prakashani. Sabyasachi was born in Narail, educated at the Fine Arts Institute (now Faculty) of Dhaka University. Since his student life, Bengali letters and alphabets have been his interest. He is an artist by profession, in detail one of the most successful and prominent cover artists of Bangladesh. A couple of years ago, Sabyasachi wrote another book on the Bengali alphabet. Title of the book: 'Ao'. Excellent printing, binding, ... what can I say, a book that is all-round beautiful. At a glance, it seems that what is trend in Bangladesh is not a 'printing press', it is a 'publication'. The book had to be printed and bound in a famous and large press in Haryana, India, because it would not have been possible to do this with such skill in Bangladesh.

What I felt after reading that book and this book, is that what researchers are usually used to do, the origin and development of Bengali letters, alphabets, kar, phola, etc., scientifically judging the interrelationships of the letters, etc, is not a matter of his interest. He wants to stare in fascination at the colors for now. In more detail, he wants to limit himself only to the charms of the letter 'Ao'. Sabyasachi has seen the letter 'Ao' from various perspectives including Vihangavlokan, Simhavalokana, Kitavalokan, in the book entitled 'Aoi'. In fact, every Bengali character is a work of art, a work of art for him. He enjoys the beauty of the colors to the fullest and wants to join all the other Bengalis in that enjoyment. He makes the viewers standing in front of each character and says: 'How beautiful, isn't it!'
The priceless wealth of the 'Bengali Alphabet', developed by scribes, coincidentally reached the hands of the Bengali nation. Among all the alphabets derived from the Brahmi alphabet, Bengali seems to me to be the best. This feeling is of course subjective, because Bengali is my own language. Bengali characters have both the linear curvature of the Arabic letters and the linear simplicity of the Roman letters. There are also dimensions, which neither of these two letters have. Several characters derived from the Brahmi script, such as the South Indian script, also lack dimensionality. 'Matra' seems to have given a great balance to the Bengali alphabet. Sabyasachi thinks that the writing material has a role behind the emergence of matra - Bengali punthi was written on palm leaves, probably due to the veins of palm leaves, matra would have been created in Bengali characters.

"Banijje Boste Lakshmi", the book published on the occasion of the exhibition and some posters on alphabet related topics were sold/distributed in a lovely bag. I think, every object in this exhibition, every picture can be used to embellish a wearable garment, like a t-shirt or saree. A t-shirt with letterpress images would not seem to look bad at all. However, trade is not the main issue here, the main purpose of Sabyasachi's exhibition was to draw the attention of Bengali children to the Bengali alphabet. Sabyasachi wants to draw our attention to the Bengali alphabet because, he is politically aware and this exhibition has a political dimension. What is politics? In a word, politics is the attempt to survive the competition and enjoy the larger piece of the small cake of privilege. Those who have merit and recognition can enjoy it. Not all languages and all alphabets are equal. All languages and alphabets are not equally qualified at all times and in all fields.

Nation formation, national development and the existence of nations are linked to the alphabet. How? The world is conflicted. Every language, every alphabet competes with other languages and other alphabets. The one who has recognition and merit will win this competition. Government recognizes unqualified people; But life or market does not have that liability or vice. Turkey had to decide at one point whether to keep the Arabic alphabet, or adopt the Roman alphabet. Vietnam at one point had to decide to abandon the Chinese alphabet and adopt the Roman alphabet. What a pathetic 'disaster'! Neither alphabet is their own. Is such a situation desirable? Such a situation can arise if we do not become Bengali 'racist' to some extent (like Sabyasachi). The word 'racism' has many meanings. In order to preserve the existence of the nation-state, this 'varna (admiration)' is essential, that color (hatred) must be abandoned.

Alphabets, like languages, can have four types of recognition: social, political, economic, and international. The recognitions are usually earned in the order in which they are listed. Social recognition of the Bengali language and the Bengali alphabet was achieved in the Middle Ages, political recognition was achieved in 1948-52. The question whether this political recognition is 'de juro' or on paper or 'de facto' or deed is also important. Bengali is still not the language of justice in Bangladesh. Bengali is not the language of instruction, even in Dhaka University, which vainly boasts of being the cradle of the language movement.

Economic recognition of Bengali language has not been fully achieved, because economics and politics are two inseparable pages of the same sheet of paper. Bengali language has no international recognition. English language has all recognition. My mother tongue Chatgaiya is not even recognized. The more recognition that language has, the more important and the longer that alphabet will live. The death rate of Garo or Kakbarok language is several times higher than standard Bengali. There is no Garo or Chatgaiya alphabet. A language that does not have an alphabet is left behind in the language competition. There is no precedent for a non-alphabetic language to be the state language.

Recognition is not handed to anyone. Acknowledgment is earned. Recognition has to be claimed by showing merit. I have heard that Bengali alphabet, Bengali language are victims of neglect of Bengalis due to invasion of Hindi and English in West Bengal. Poet Ishwar Gupta said, 'How much I love a foreign dog, and kill the Tagore of my own country!' This means, at least in West Bengal Bengali language and Bengali alphabet are almost losing to Hindi and English language and alphabet. Whenever we lose our alphabet, we lose much of our language, and foreign languages and foreign alphabets will soon fill the void, for, as it is said, nature does not like a vacuum. As soon as the vacancy is filled, the Bengali nation will change completely. Such events are not rare in history.

Bengali alphabet is as beautiful as it is useful. When a section of Bengali Muslims were engrossed in nightmares and wanted to write Arabic letters, while a section of Bengali Hindus were advocating for the Devanagari script showing the superiority of fake Aramaic, Dr. Mohammad Shahidullah expressed the opinion that Urdu and Arabic alphabets are awkward and useless and Bengali alphabet is the best and best of all alphabets. So did Many linguists and polygraphers should take the words of this sage seriously. Bengali alphabet is an invaluable resource, an effective tool of expression free from the hands of ancestors. It should be cherished, its beauty and functionality should be drawn to the attention of present and future generations. Otherwise Bengali alphabet will not be able to survive in competition with English and Hindi. If I don't call my stuff expensive and beautiful, if I don't promote my product, my competitive neighbors won't do it.

Bengali alphabet is associated with Bengali language, Bengali economy, politics and diplomacy. In order to win the economic, political and diplomatic competition with other nations, the Bengali alphabet is a unique, balanced and effective writing technique inherited. I am saying this because the development of the Bengali nation depends on the education of Bengalis. If 100% rational education is not acquired, ignorant Bengalis will go to Burma in the next century, just as the they are giving services in the Middle East-Malaysia in this century. Even in the 60s, Malaysia and Bangladesh had equal economies. Six decades ago, by ensuring 100% education in Malay language, today Malaysia takes labourers from abroad, uneducated Bengalis go to the next country and give services.

It is difficult if not impossible to get 100% education in Bengali with any alphabet other than Bangla. Therefore Bengali students should pay attention to the Bengali language and the Bengali alphabet, for the sake of their survival in the global market.

Color practice is also a kind of art practice. Educated, industrial and cultured nation building depends a lot on letter practice.

Two main faults of the current generation: 1) They do not know how to read and write Bengali (and English too), and do not enjoy reading and writing and 2) Most of them have ugly handwriting. Bad handwriting is not the fault of children and teenagers, but more of their parents and teachers. Why should we forget that the Bengali slang 'sarmeya putra' or 'barahputra' is used to hold the father or the teacher responsible for the fault of a son or a student. His father or teacher is insulted as 'Sarmeya' or 'Barah'. A nation formed with such sons and daughters, it is difficult if not impossible to compete with other nations.

I don't think Sabyasachi has any other purpose than to draw the attention of the children of Bengal to the soundness and effectiveness of the Bengali alphabet; But for Sabyasachi, as I have already said, this duty is grave. And this is not only his responsibility, this is the responsibility of me, you, everyone, the state and at the end of the day, the government. What Sabyasachi is doing, government and private institutions should have done it long ago. In a country where the individual is ahead of the institution, the country can be assumed not to be doing well and is in trouble.
The above important words needed to be said at the opening ceremony of the exhibition; But as far back as I can remember, many of the guests were sweating in the scorching heat that day, annoyed by the amateurish high profile presentation on the one hand and the long, rambling and mediocre speeches on the other hand, thinking, 'It's nice to stop!' This exhibition of Allianz Française was organized with great professionalism.

Different banners hung from the ceiling, which had pictures of Barnas, primer authors and painters. A large monitor was showing a documentary made with considerable skill. The history of Bangla Primer, who were the writers of Bangla Primer, who were their associate artists, how was the pairing of primer writers like Rabindranath and artists like Abanindranath, how the letterpress works, etc. were many things in that documentary.

If the authorities want, the entire exhibition could be converted into an alphabet and printing museum. This exhibition can travel all over Bangladesh (and why not?) all over the world, wherever the Bengali language and Bengali-speakers exist. All in all, I am sure, for a long time to come, the happy memory of this exhibition will remain in the mind of the audience.

Author: Linguist and Professor, Institute of Modern Languages, University of Dhaka.