Dr Sarwar Ali becomes new President of Chhayanaut

Dr Sarwar Ali has been appointed as the new President of Chhayanaut, one of Bangladesh's most prominent cultural organisations, three months after the passing of the legendary cultural activist Sanjida Khatun.

Dr Ali, who had been serving as the Executive President, was named President at Chhayanaut's first annual general meeting since Sanjida Khatun's death, held on Friday.

Chhayanaut confirmed the selection of Dr Ali as its new President to UNB, and the Facebook page of Chhayanaut also updated the details of the announcement on Saturday.

Chhayanaut's executive committee has also been reorganised during the meeting. Khairul Anam Shakil and Partha Tanvir Naved have been named as Vice Presidents, while Laisa Ahmed Lisa continues as General Secretary.

The newly formed executive council also features Mofidul Haque, Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury, Nahas Khalil, Aminul Kawsar Dipu, Sahana Akhter Rahman Papri, Masuda Nargis Anam Kalpana, Zubair Yusuf, Gautam Sarkar, Jasmine Buli, and Semanti Manjari. Meanwhile, Saeeda Kamal and Ruchira Tabassum Naved have joined the Chhayanaut Board of Trustees, filling the positions left vacant by the recent passing of Nurunnahar Abedin and Sanjida Khatun.

Dr Sarwar Ali has been associated with Chhayanaut since 1967. In his professional life, he is a pioneer with his broad experience as a medical practitioner.

Currently, Dr Ali serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Renata PLC. He is also serving as the Trustee of the Liberation War Museum, Chairman of the Board of Management at BIRDEM Hospital, and Vice President of the Bangladesh Diabetic Association.

Sanjida Khatun, a leading figure in the Bengali cultural movement and Chhayanaut's longstanding President since 1999, passed away on March 25 this year while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the capital. She had been in declining health for several years.

Chhayanaut was founded in 1961 as a bold cultural response to the Pakistani regime's attempt to suppress Bengali identity. The organisation was born in the wake of the Rabindranath Tagore birth centenary celebrations, which it had carried out despite official restrictions.

Chhayanaut's founding president was poet and activist Sufia Kamal. Following her death in 1999, Sanjida Khatun took over the role and led the organisation for more than two decades.