Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
Asiatic Society of Bangladesh a non-political, non-government and non-profit learned organisation of scholars registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. Established in 1952 in Dhaka, the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh is committed to the study of ‘Man and Nature of Asia’. Both in spirit and organisational structure, the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh is a near kin to the asiatic society, Calcutta (estd. 1784). The President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh is its chief patron. The society has its office at 5 Old Secretariat Road, Nimtali, Dhaka.
The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh has a rich heritage. Its roots can be traced back to the last quarter of the 18th century when sir william jones, a judge of the Calcutta Supreme Court, took the initiative and founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784. After partition of bengal (1947), quite a number of scholars, active as members of the Asiatic Society (Calcutta), migrated to Dhaka. They conceived the idea of founding a similar learned organisation in Dhaka. It may be noted that in promoting oriental studies, Asiatic Societies, though not directly linked to each other, were established in Mumbai (1804), London (1823), Colombo (1845), Hong Kong (1847), Tokyo (1872), Malaysia (1878), and Korea (1900) and on the model of the original Calcutta Society. The motto of all these associations has been the study of ‘Man and Nature of Asia’.
The initiative to set up a similar Asiatic Society in Dhaka came mainly from Dr ahmad hasan dani, then a teacher in the Department of History at the university of dhaka and curator of Dhaka Museum. During pre-partition days, Dani was a regional superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India in Rajshahi. He may be called the William Jones of the Asiatic Society of Pakistan. Dr Dani’s idea received enthusiastic support from other scholars of Dhaka who met on 3 January 1952 and established the Asiatic Society of Pakistan. The other founding members include Dr ABM Habibullah, Dr muhammad shahidullah, Dr IH Juberi, Dr sayed moazzem hossain, Dr WHA Sadani, Dr abdul halim, Dr serajul huq, Abdul Hamid, syed muhammad taifoor, Khan Bahadur Abdur Rahman, Sheikh Sharafuddin and J.S Turner. With the emergence of Bangladesh in 1971, the name of the Asiatic Society of Pakistan was renamed as ‘Asiatic Society of Bangladesh’ (‘Bangladesh Asiatic Society’ in Bangla).
The membership of the Society is open to all scholars irrespective of nationality, creed and religion. Members are elected in the monthly general meetings. Applications for membership proposed and seconded by two members and scrutinised by the scrutiny committee are forwarded to the Council for recommendations to the next Monthly General Meeting for election. On having been elected the applicant requires to pay admission fee and the membership fee enrolment. Associate members are also elected in the same procedure and are entitled to all rights and privileges of a member except that they can neither vote nor propose or second any one for membership. Honorary members and Fellows are also elected, but such memberships are normally conferred upon highly recognised scholars with outstanding contributions to Asian studies.
The organisational set up of the Society followed that of the Calcutta Asiatic Society. The Society is run by its own statutes and is administered by a 17 member Executive Council elected once in two years. The composition of the Council is as follows: one President, three Vice-Presidents, one Treasurer, one General Secretary, one Secretary, and twelve members including two Fellows co-opted by the Council. The Council upholds the Constitution, formulates policies and manages the general affairs of the Society and is responsible to the members of the Society. The Council meets normally once a month where activities of the society and the initiatives of the Council are presented and approved. The General Secretary acts as the executive head of the Society, conducts the daily business, maintains records, convenes meetings under provisions laid down in the constitution and presents a report at the Biennial General Meeting.
Presidents and General Secretaries of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
| Period | President | General Secretary |
| 1952-53 | Mr. Abdul Hamid | Dr. Ahmad Hasan Dani |
| 1954 | Dr. Md. Shahidullah | Dr. Serajul Huq |
| 1955 | Professor Abdul Halim | Dr. Serajul Huq |
| 1956 | Justice Md. Ibrahim | Dr. Ahmad Hasan Dani |
| 1957-58 | Khan Bahadur Abdur Rahman Khan | Dr. Ahmad Hasan Dani |
| 1959 | Khan Bahadur Abdur Rahman Khan | Dr. M Saghir Hasan |
| 1960-61 | Professor Abdul Halim | Dr. Ahmad Hasan Dani |
| 1962 | Dr. Md. Shahidullah | Dr. Mafizullah Kabir |
| 1963-64 | Dr. Md. Shahidullah | Dr. S Sajjad Husain |
| 1965 | Dr. Mohammad Enamul Haq | Dr. Abdul Karim |
| 1966 | Dr. Mohammad Enamul Haq | Dr. Mafizullah Kabir |
| 1967 | Dr. Md. Shahidullah | Syed Murtaza Ali |
| 1968 | Justice Abdul Maudud | Professor ABM Habibullah |
| 1969-73 | Professor ABM Habibullah | Dr. Ahmed Sharif |
| 1974 | Syed Murtaza Ali | Dr. Ajoy Kumar Roy |
| 1975 | Professor ABM Habibullah | Dr. Ajoy Kumar Roy |
| 1976 | Mr. Kamruddin Ahmed | Dr. M Moniruzzaman Miah |
| 1977-78 | Mr. Kamruddin Ahmed | Dr. MR Tarafdar |
| 1979 | Professor Serajul Huq | Dr. MR Tarafdar |
| 1980 | Professor Md. Enamul Haq | Dr. MR Tarafdar |
| 1981 | Khan Bahadur Abdul Hakim | Dr. Sirajul Islam |
| 1982 | Professor Mafizullah Kabir | Dr. Sirajul Islam |
| 1983 | Professor AR Mallick | Dr. KM Mohsin |
| 1984-85 | Professor AR Mallick | Professor Mohammad Moniruzzaman |
| 1986-87 | Mr. AKM Zakariah | Professor Sirajul Islam |
| 1988-89 | Dr. AM Sharafuddin | Professor Wakil Ahmed |
| 1990-91 | Dr. AM Sharafuddin | Professor Syed Anwar Husain |
| 1992-93 | Professor AKM Nurul Islam | Professor Hasna Begum |
| 1994-95 | Professor Sirajul Islam | Dr. Harun-or-Rashid |
| 1996-97 | Professor Wakil Ahmed | Professor Akmal Hussain |
| 1998-99 | Professor M Harunur Rashid | Dr. Sajahan Miah |
| 2000-2001 | Professor Abdul Momin Chowdhury | Dr. Sajahan Miah |
| 2002-2003 | Professor Abdul Momin Chowdhury | Professor Syed Rashidul Hasan |
| 2004-2005 | Professor Emajuddin Ahamed | Professor SM Mahfuzur Rahman |
| 2006-2007 | Professor Emajuddin Ahamed | Dr. Sajahan Miah |
| 2008-2009 | Professor Sirajul Islam | Professor Mahfuza Khanam |
| 2010-1011 | Professor Sirajul Islam | Professor Mahfuza Khanam |
| 2012-2013 | Professor Nazrul Islam | Professor Ahmed A. Jamal |
| 2012-2013 | Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury | Professor Ahmed A. Jamal |
| 2016-2017 | Professor Amirul Islam Chowdhury | Professor AKM Golam Rabbani |
| 2018-2019 | Professor Mahfuza Khanam | Dr. Sabbir Ahmed |
| 2020-2021 | Professor Mahfuza Khanam | Dr. Sabbir Ahmed |
| 2022-2023 | Professor Emeritus Khondoker Bazlul Hoque | Professor Muhammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan |
The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh organises one learned lecture every month during its monthly general meeting, and this is one of the mandatory functions of the Society. It also arranges seminars, conferences, Trust Fund lectures and special talks throughout the year. Besides, the Foundation day of the Society is observed on 3 January every year and on this occasion an eminent scholar from home or abroad is invited to deliver the 'Foundation Day' Lecture.
The Society has a rich book publication programme. It encourages scholars and researchers to publish their books and monographs from the Society. The Society has so far published 107 books on oriental studies. Among the Society’s publications the most important book titled History of Bangladesh (1704-1971) in three volumes (1992), Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (2003) in fourteen volumes, Cultural Survey of Bangladesh (2008) in twelve volumes, Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh (2010) in 28 volumes, Celebration of 400 Years of Capital Dhaka in 18 volumes, Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation in 10 volumes (2020), A survey of Historical Monuments and sites in Bangladesh: Mainamati-Devaparvata, Gawr-Lakhnawti, Sonargaon-Panam (1997) in three volumes, History of Bangladesh: Early Bengal in Regional Perspectives (upto c.1200 CE) in 2 volumes and History of Bangladesh: Early Bengal Sultanate and Mughal Periods (c.1200-1800 CE) in 2 volumes need special mention. To serve the local and foreign readership most of the multi volume books have been published in both Bangla, English and also in CD and online.
Besides these, publication of journals and Newsletters get priority among the Society’s regular activities. The Society regularly publishes three learned journals (all peer reviewed) viz. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh (Humanities), Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh (Sciences) and Asiatic Society Patrika (Bangla), each twice a year. Besides these journals the Society also publishes quarterly Newsletter to let its members know the on going activities of the Society. Members of the Society are entitled to a free copy of these journals and newsletters. The Society also undertakes and implement large-scale collective research projects. The Society also gives affiliations to bona fide visiting scholars to facilitate their research in Bangladesh. Affiliated scholars are usually entitled to use the Society’s library and other facilities including accommodation.
The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh maintains a library. The collection (around 15000 titles) in this library is of highly selective nature. These include books, journals, old manuscripts and other rare research materials. All the members of the Society and other researchers are entitled to have personal access to the library and use its collections. They can also borrow books from the Library for a stipulated time. Owing to its specialised nature, the library has become a resource centre for scholars. It also maintains a laboratory for cartographic, photographic and multimedia works.
The Society has established a permanent art gallery covering an area of 3500 sq. ft. for holding art exhibitions. It also collects, conserves and displays works of major local and foreign artists. The Society also has a five-Room Guest House to accommodate visiting scholars, researchers, guests and members.
To maximise the activities of the Society and also to enable the patrons of learning to participate in its activities, the Society introduced the Endowment Scheme in 1984. Since then 24 Trust Funds have been established in the Society. An independent Board of Trustees manages each Trust Fund. Besides, the Society itself has established three Trust Funds out of the receipts obtained from respective project outputs. These are Banglapedia Trust, Trust for Cultural Studies and Flora and Fauna Trust. The Society has also established a Centre for Dhaka Studies to facilitate research on various aspects of Dhaka City. Trust Funds give financial support for learned activities like research, lectures, prizes, medals, writing monographs, making collections, archaeological inquiries.
List of Trust Funds established at the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
| Name of Trust Fund | Year of Est. | Founder(s) | Area of activities |
| FINAS Foundation | 1984 | Khan Bahadur Abdul Hakin | Science in the Shaping of Modern Life. |
| Saleha Khanam Trust Fund | 1986 | Mr. Mustafizur Rahman Khan | Savings, Insurance, Banking and other Aspects of the Economy of Bangladesh. |
| Mustafizur Rahman Khan and Saleha Khanam Trust Fund | 1987 | Professor Mahfuza Khanam | Rights of Women in Asia. |
| Professor Mufassiluddin Ahmed Trust Fund | 1987 | Professor Mofassiluddin Ahmed | The Role of Medistic Psychotherapy in the Advancement of the People of Developing Countries of Asia. |
| Professor Muhammad Ishaq Trust Fund | 1987 | Professor Muhammad Ishaq | The History of Bengal. |
| Munshi Aftabuddin and Abdul Hafiz Trust Fund | 1987 | Mr. Abdul Hafiz | Bangladesh Studies. |
| Professor Shafiqur Rahman Trust Fund | 1988 | Professor Shafiqur Rahman | Humanities and Social Sciences. |
| National Professor Atwar Husain Trust Fund | 1988 | Professor Rahmat Ara Husain | Economic Problems in Developing Countries of Asia and Planning Strategy for Development. |
| Halima Begum and Shaikh Sharafuddin Trust Fund | 1991 | Dr. Abdullah Al-Muti Sharafuddin | Science and Technology. |
| Professor Muhammad Nurul Karim Trust Fund | 1991 | Professor Md. Nurul Karim | Asians’ Contribution to the Study of Arabic, Islamic Studies, Persian and Urdu. |
| Jahanara Majid and Mahbub Alam Trust Fund | 1994 | Mr. Mahbub Alam | Urban History of Bangladesh. |
| Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Trust Fund | 1996 | National Professor Sufia Ahmed and Mr. Tariq Ibrahim | Law, Humanities and Liberal Arts. |
| Shahid Colonel Jamil Ahmed Memorial Trust Fund | 2000 | Mrs. Anjuman Ara Jamil | Defense and Security Related Issues, Civil Military Relationship, Role of Defense Services in Disaster Management and Peace-keeping Nationally and Internationally. |
| Dr. Serajul Haque and Mahzuzh Haque Trust Fund | 2001 | Professor Serajul Haque | Islam in its Various Aspects. |
| Maulvi Shamsuddin Ahmed Memorial Trust Fund | 2003 | Mr. Md. Aminul Islam | Numismatics, Epigraphy, Archaeology, Art and Architecture. |
| A.K.M Azizul Haq and Husniara Huq Trust Fund | 2003 | Professor Husniara Huq | Education and Development. |
| Mohammad Wajed Ali Trust Fund | 2003 | Professor Wajiur Rahman | Contemporary Bengali Literature of Muslim Writers, Bengali Literature of 20th Century, Political and Religious Influences on Bengali Literature. |
| Barrister Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Memorial Foundation | 2004 | National Professor Sufia Ahmed | Legal and Constitutional History and Cultural History of Bangladesh. |
| Professor Mahfuza Khanam and Barrister Shafique Ahmed Trust Fund | 2004 | Professor Mahfuza Khanam | Law and Human Rights. |
| Banglapedia Trust | 2004 | Asiatic Society of Bangladesh | Revision and Publication of the Banglapedia, undertake and implement projects on similar works, etc. |
| Professor Abdul Majed Khan Memorial Trust | 2008 | Mr. Abdur Rahman Khan, Ms. Sabiha Rahman, Mrs. Maliha Chaudhury, Mr. Abdur Rahim Khan and Mr. Abdur Razzak Khan | History and Culture of Bangladesh and South Asia. |
| Cultural Studies Trust | 2008 | Asiatic Society of Bangladesh | Research and Publication on Culture of Bangladesh, Maintaining Folk Museum and Art Gallery, Arrange Art Exhibition, etc. |
| Flora and Fauna Studies Trust | 2008 | Asiatic Society of Bangladesh | Revision and Updating of the Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh. |
| Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah Trust Fund | 2009 | Dhaka Ahsania Mission | Promotion of Basic and Applied Research in Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Science. |
| F.I.M Nurul Abedin and Anjuman Ara Begum Memorial Trust Fund | 2010 | Professor Samina Sultana | Arts, Humanities, Social Science and Environment |
| Khoda Bokth Memorial Trust | 2010 | Javed Bokth | Economic, History, Social Science and Human Rights |
| Dr. Anwar Dil and Dr. Afia Dil Trust Fund | 2011 | Dr. Anwar Dil and Dr. Afia Dil | Asian History, Culture and Civilisation |
| Masterda Surja Sen Trust Fund | 2011 | Biplobi Benode Behari Choudhury | Humanities and Social Sciences in General and Political Ideas and Thoughts. |
| Dr. R.A Ghani and Mrs. Hosne Ara Ghani Trust Fund | 2011 | Dr. R.A Ghani | Research and Development in the Field of Science, Engineering and Technology. |
| Sarathi Education and Research Trust Fund | 2012 | Hyatt Properties Limited | Social, Economic and Scientific Development with Particular Emphasis on Research on Education, Land and Housing, Health, Employment, Poverty, Women’s Empowerment and Child Development. |
| Bangabandhu Memorial Lecture Trust Fund | 2012 | National Professor Nurul Islam | The Contributions of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman towards the Birth of Independent Sovereign State of Bangladesh; History, Culture, Education, Economy and Society of Bangladesh. |
| National Professor Dr. Nurul Islam Memorial Trust Fund | 2012 | National Professor Nurul Islam | National Professor Nurul Islam’s Contributions as a Physician, Educationist and Founder of Medical and Educational Institutions; Recent Advances in Medical Research; Medical Ethics; Problems of Medical Profession in Bangladesh; Commercial Attitudes in the Medical Profession; Medical Profession: Past and Present; Crisis in Medical Care; Diseases, Patients and Physicians etc. |
| Tajuddin Ahmad Memorial Trust Fund | 2013 | Mrs. Sharmin Ahmad | Life and Works of Tajuddin Ahmad (such as Tajuddin Ahmad as an Individual, his Socio-political-economic Vision and his Contributions to the War of Liberation of Bangladesh); and History, Culture, Economy and Politics of Bangladesh. |
| Faizunnessa Kabiruddin Rahmani Memorial Foundation | 2014 | Professor Habiba Khatun, Professor Latifa Shamsuddin, Mr. Abu Raihan Mahmud, Engineer Abul Hasan Masud, Professor Hafiza Khatun, Mrs. Hamida Shireen and Mr. Abu Monjur Morshed | Literature, History, Economics, Politics, Society, Law, Gender, Geography, Environment, Engineering, Medicine, Architecture or any other issues related to Greater Dhaka. |
| Professor Mohammad Moniruzzaman Memorial Trust Fund | 2015 | Mrs. Rashida Zaman | Language, Literature, History, Science and Culture of Bangladesh in Particular and Asia in General. |
| Professor Dr. Muhammad Dilawar Husain Trust Fund | 2015 | Professor Muhammad Dilawar Husain | History, History of Muslims, Culture, Heritage, Human Values, Protection of Human Rights, Politics of Bangladesh and other various Important Issues. |
| Dr. Md. Mainul Islam and Mr. Waliul Islam Memorial Trust Fund | 2016 | Dr. Md. Mainul Islam | Society, Politics, Economics, Education of Bangladesh and Literature or Music of Poet Robindra Nath Tagore. |
| Dr. A.R Mallick and R.N Mallick Memorial Trust Fund | 2016 | Mrs. Rahmatun Nessa Mallick | War of Liberation of Bangladesh; Education and Research in Bangladesh with Special Reference to Primary Education; History of South Asia, particularly related to Bangladesh. |
| S.N.H Rizvi Memorial Trust Fund | 2016 | Mr. Asghar Rizvi, Mr. Haider Rizvi, Dr. Gowher Rizvi and Mr. Jowher Rizvi | Inclusive Plural Society, Secularism and Religious Tolerance; Social Justice; and the Influence of the Sufis and Syncretic Islam in Bangladesh. |
| Mrs. Noor Jehan Murshid and Professor Khan Sarwar Murshid Trust Fund | 2016 | Professor Tazeen Mahnaz Murshid | Lives, times, works and areas of interests of Mrs. Noor Jehan Murshid and Professor Khan Sarwar Murshid, Aesthetics, Higher Education, Contemporary Politics, Governance, Civil Society, Human Rights and Gender, and Social and Political Development, Education, Social Welfare, Comparative Literature and Bengal History, etc. |
| Amina Bashir Memorial Trust Fund | 2017 | Professor Murtaja Baseer | World Art, Special Preference to the Art of Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal and Sri Lanka; History of Independent Sultans of Bengal; Coins of Early Historical Bengal up to 1538 AD; Coins of Rajas of Arakan (1571-1648 AD); Contemporary World Cinema; Modern English Literature: ‘Angry Young Man’, United Kingdom and ‘Beat Generation’, United States of America (USA); and Bangladesh: Art and Society. |
| Hamim Khan Memorial Trust Fund | 2018 | Dr. Akbar Ali Khan | Science and Religion. |
| Kabi Syed Shamsul Haq Memorial Trust Fund | 2019 | Mrs. Anwara Syed Haq | Art, Culture, Poetry, Drama, Literature and History. |
| Professor Dr. A.B.M Mahmood Trust Fund | 2019 | Professor A.B.M Mahmood | Social, Political and Economic Development of East Bengal and Bangladesh (1905-1975); Role of Bangabandhu in the Emergence of Bangladesh. |
| National Professor Dr. Sufia Ahmed Memorial Foundation | 2020 | Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Dr. Tasneem Raina Fateh | The Mughal Dynasty and the Suri Empire; Muslim Community in Bengal (19th and 20th centuries); Bengali Nationalism and State Formation in the 20th and 21st centuries (with an emphasis on Bengali Socio-cultural Trends and Identity and Gender Equality / Women’s Empowerment in the Bangladeshi context); Modern Turkey (with an emphasis on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his Reforms and Legacy. |
| Professor Ahmad Kabir Memorial Trust Fund | 2021 | Professor Upama Kabir, Dr. Shaily Kabir and Dr. Mitra Kabir | Bengali Language and Literature, Literary History, Arts, and Culture. |
| Moulovi Taleb Ali and Begum Yaqubunnessa Memorial Trust Fund | 2021 | Barrister Shafique Ahmed and Professor Mahfuza Khanam | Law, Human Justice, Social Justice, Arbitration, Intellectual Property, Education, Economics, Environment, Health and other Important Issues. |
| Professor Dr. Fazlul Halim Chowdhury Memorial Trust Fund | 2022 | Professor Sadeka Halim | Science and Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences. |
The revenue of the Society comes from various sources, such as government grant-in-aid, members’ fees, sales proceeds of Society’s publications, interest from trust funds accounts, donations, rental from the auditorium, art gallery and guest house instituted at the Society, etc. [Sajahan Miah]
