He was a man of ancient history and museums but was also a major player in the liberation war as it played out in the European theatre in 1971. On the 10th of July he passed away leaving behind a lifetime of promises kept and achievements. As a man who was a pioneer in not just academia but organized the Jatio Jadughar (National Museum) and mobilized public opinion and resources for making it a worthy project.
A life among Museums and History
Dr. Enamul Haque began his work life at the Dhaka Museum I 1962. He was also a culture and heritage activist. His heritage based TV programme “Amader Oitirjo” – Our Heritage- brought a sense of pride in the past that was important in the Bangladesh middle class mind as they stirred and readied themselves to cross swords with Pakistan in 1971.
An MA from Dhaka University, he was doing his ph.d at Oxford University when the war of independence broke out. He dropped his studies and joined the expat activists to work for Bangladesh. He also set up a cultural troupe where he wrote and sang songs as well to project the Bangladesh cause. After independence he completed his PhD on South Asian Art and a post-graduate Diploma-in-Museology. We became close when he was a member of the Authentication Committee of the war of Independence History Documents project where I was a researcher.
I had once asked him about his ph.d thesis but he was disarming about it. “You won’t like it. It’s about which statue has how many arms and heads and what else. Not like your 1971 history. “Museum was his first love though and he ran it from 1962 to 1991. His commitment was clear.
He was also elected as the President of the International Council of Museums Asia-Pacific Organization for the period 1983-86. He served as the professor of national culture and heritage in the Independent University, Bangladesh and the president, chairman and academic director of the International Centre for Study of Bengal Art.”.
He was awarded many honours including the “Bangladesh Shishu Academy Agrani Bank Literary Award (1986)”, Honorary International Councilor of the Asia Society of New York (1986-92), Ramaprasad Chanda Centenary Medal by the Asiatic Society of Calcutta (1993), D.Sc. honoris causa by Open University of Alternative Medicines of India (1998), Rich Foundation Award (2012), Ekushey Padak (2014), Independence Day Award (2017), Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award in (2020).
His understanding of museums was sharp. He said the criticism about the architecture of the Jadughar which limited expansion from the topup was unfair. “Children visit the museums most accompanied by their parents. How far can they climb? It’s the same pattern globally. ” He would even laugh and say that if he ever won the British jackpot lottery he would retire and work without payment to improve public knowledge of our national heritage.
The thousand strings…
Dr. Haque was a cultural activist in every sense. In the late 60s, Dhaka TV produced and broadcast a musical – “Hazar Tarer Bina”- on the life and poetry of Nazrul Islam. The songs were all written by Enamul Haque while music was rendered by Shaheed Altaf Mahmud. The theme song, sung by Shahnaz Begum became very popular. It can still be found on YouTube. ” I am your thousand-stringed beena of fire, play me, O play me ?..” The song reflects the aspiration of the many who played the blazing lyre of 1971 liberation war. He was one of them.
