Local writer Subrata Kumar Das helps launch website celebrating Bengali-born Canadian writers
By TASMINA KHAN
The launch of the Canada Journal website was recently celebrated by the Bengali Canadian community.
The Canada Journal is a meticulously developed platform designed to unite the community of Bengali-born Canadian writers and present their literary contributions.
The bilingual website (at https://www.c-j.ca/ ) encompasses a diverse array of literary works, featuring books, reviews, and reflections on the Canadian experience in both Bengali and English.
Organized alphabetically, the platform provides about 400 links to individual biographies, literary works, and critiques, thereby establishing a comprehensive collection of Canadian Bengali literature.
The realization of this website was a longstanding aspiration of Subrata Kumar Das, a respected author and literary researcher from Bangladesh, now living in East York.
Following extensive planning, the website was successfully launched through a virtual inauguration on Sept. 6, marking a significant milestone as the first of its kind.
The primary criterion for the inclusion of writers on the website was that they must have at least one published book. Additionally, Subrata extended an invitation to all Canadian Bengali writers to submit their biographies and writings for inclusion if they were not yet featured on the website.
Featuring a user-friendly design, the website comprises six main sections: ‘Home,’ ‘About Us,’ ‘Writers,’ ‘Book Review,’ ‘News,’ and ‘Contact.’ This layout facilitates seamless navigation through the content available in both Bengali and English languages.
Subrata identified a gap in the representation of Canadian Bengali writers in mainstream literary circles upon his arrival in Canada in 2013. He observed a lack of accessibility to the works of Bengali writers among the younger generation. In response, he conceived the idea of establishing a virtual repository to provide easy access to the works of Bengali writers, ensuring the transmission of literary works from one generation to the next within the Bengali community and beyond.
To realize this initiative, he engaged with past and current Canadian poet laureates as well as dynamic Canadian writers to seek their input and support, thereby laying the foundation for bridging the gap and introducing the rich literary works of Bengali Canadian writers.
The project also garnered substantial support from prominent individuals such as the CEO of NRB TV, Shahidul Islam Mintu, Barrister Omar Hasan Al Zahid, and noted journalist Mahbub Osmani, the sales representative of Right at Home Realty. Their contributions played a pivotal role in realizing Subrata’s vision, deserving acknowledgment.
