Notes
Literary Encounters in Dhaka, Chittagong
Literary Encounters is a new program initiated by the Goethe Institut, implemented by its partners and in particular by The Reading Circle (TRC) to introduce contemporary translated German literature to audiences in Dhaka and Chittagong. "The Reader", a well known novel by the German author Bernhard Schlink was presented, read and discussed on 9 March 2011 at the Goethe Institut Dhaka by the members of the TRC Syed Badrul Ahsan, Tanveerul Haque, Asfa Hussain, Jackie Kabir, Shahruk Rahman and Saeeda Khan. Earlier, on 17 January 2011 a project contract was entered into between TRC and the Goethe Institut to hold joint literary programs on a continual basis. Eighteen copies of "The Reader" were presented on the occasion to TRC by Angela Grunert, the Director of the Institut. TRC was to distribute the books amongst some of its readers and distribute some copies to universities and non-profit literary organizations and partners. On the invitation of the Goethe Institut, TRC presented "The Reader" in Chittagong in collaboration with its partners there. The book presentation was made first at the Asian University for Women (AUW) on 23 March at 4 p.m. It was an enjoyable and educative experience for us to be at the exceptionally well equipped and well located temporary campus of the university. The diverse international student body was appreciative and attentive and enthusiastically applauded when it was mentioned that TRC members had read and discussed 60 books in the last five years. Asfa Hussain, Tanveerul Haque and Shahruk Rahman were the three members of TRC who visited Chittagong courtesy of the Goethe Institut. Unfortunately our dear founder member Dr. Niaz Zaman could not make the trip but was regularly updated on our progress in Chittagong. Angela Grunert, the outgoing Director of the Goethe Institut, her successor Judith Mirschberger and Miriam Styrnol, who was based in Chittagong, were part of the team. Later in the evening, the team was treated to a sumptuous dinner at the home of Asfa's niece Neera and Rafay Nizam. TRC was introduced by the Director of the Goethe Institut to their two partners in Chittagong, the other being Bishaud Bangla, where the presentation was made on 24 March at 6 p.m. Bishaud Bangla, founded by Alam Khorshed and his wife Mahia Abrar, radiates the charm and literary energy of the 19th and early 20th century European intellectual salons; and, closer to home, the book shops and coffee houses of Kolkata. It houses a rare collection of pre and post liberation posters, photographs, writings, books and journals mingled with the delicious aroma of brewing tea. It's a place charged with Bangladeshi historical and cultural literature, music, paintings, ethnic and tribal clothing and curios, indigenous pickles, rare varieties of rice and such. Shatranjis were rolled out for the discussants and the evenings proceedings were conducted in a typical Bangalee tradition on the floor. The trip itself was educational for all of us. We traveled by bus on 22 March and returned by train on 25 March. For Asfa it was a rare experience she had last made a journey by train 46 years earlier, that too to Kolkata, in 1965! The change she experienced related not only to the train itself but the passengers as well. She wished that all the passengers would be educated to use our national assets and property with care and responsibility, to be competitive with the other South Asian nations. "The Reader" is a phenomenally successful novel and has been translated into 36 languages. It has been made into an Academy Award winning movie starring Kate Winslett, who won the Oscar for Best Actress in 2006. The story begins with the accidental meeting of a 15 year old boy, Michael Berg, with the 36 year old woman Hanna, who then becomes his lover. Suddenly Hanna disappears from the boy's life. As a student of law and a grown man, Michael Berg comes across Hanna years later again accidentally in a courtroom where she is the principal defendant in a heinous war crime committed during the Second World War. She stands accused as a prison guard who failed to unlock the doors of the church in which the prisoners are trapped as the church burnt down, killing almost all the captives except a woman and her very young daughter, due to bombardment by the Allied Air Force. As the trial progresses, Michael Berg realizes that Hanna is willing to go to jail rather than reveal to the world the "shame" of her illiteracy. Michael watches helplessly as Hanna rescinds her right to defend herself and is given a life sentence. In prison Michael sends tapes of his own readings of various books to satiate Hanna's appetite for reading which she is unable to do by herself. Over the years of her imprisonment, Hanna painstakingly teaches herself to read and write and sends a few short handwritten notes to Michael to which he does not respond. The adolescent Michael's affair with Hanna scars him for life. He marries and has a daughter but the marriage ends in divorce. He has ephemeral relationships with many women but Hanna continues to overshadow his psyche. One day the prison warden writes to inform Michael that shortly Hanna is to be released and Michael being Hanna's only acquaintance, the warden wishes Michael to take Hanna into his care. Michael visits Hanna prior to her release and makes preparations for her rehabilitation. On the day of her release Michael arrives at the prison only to be told that Hanna committed suicide the night before leaving a note that her personal savings be handed over to the little girl who had survived the church fire.
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