Canada Journal: Our Literary Initiative
Canada Journal was once the name of a program presented by Subrata Kumar Das on Toronto-based Bengali Television channel NRB. We initiated the program with our favourite television channel in 2019. It was possible only because of the sincere encouragement and continuous support of Shahidul Islam Mintu, the CEO of the channel.
After the outbreak of Corona in March 2020, Canada Journal started online programs. Gradually, this virtual show began to be accepted as a favourite one by hundreds of thousands of Bengalis living across Canada. This online event continued to connect Bengalis from Bangladesh, India, and even from other parts of the world. It turned into an ongoing intellectual platform on a wide variety of topics including arts, literature, culture and society. The motivation of hundreds of spectators brightened the success of that event. Each episode attracted thousands of people.
But the reality is that there are obstacles to every success. And so some jealous people started trying to stop the Canada Journal. Even the outbreak of a terrible pandemic like Covid-19 could not shake people from their normal behavioural gesture. But resisting all the efforts of the dishonest people, Canada Journal continued to be a favourite name for the Bengalis of Canada today. And that is how gradually Subrata Kumar Das and Canada Journal became two different entities of the same existence.
Considering this overall progress, after my 60th birthday celebrated this year, I have decided to establish Canada Journal as a social initiative.
Since the beginning of my decade-long expatriate life in Canada, I have noticed a few things. Only a few Bengali poets and writers know each other. But apart from him, there are a large number of poets and writers who write regularly, who write well, and even who do have published books to their credit. I have also noticed that the Bengali poets and writers in Canada have little connection with the mainstream poets and writers. And the third thing that has come to my notice is that the Bengali second generation, born or raised in Canada, don’t have necessary understanding of Bengali literature and culture, and history.
We have plans to take several measures to address these weaknesses. The Canadian Bengali Literary Festival 2024 is a step of our new journey.