Shimanto Gronthagar: Old Dhaka’s 75-year-old cultural hub fights for survival

For generations, Shimanto Gronthagar in Gendaria was more than a library — it was a cultural gathering place in Old Dhaka.

That very place remained locked for nearly a year. Neglect left the library in disrepair, damaging around 600 of the 10,000 books in its collection. The door through which generations once entered in search of knowledge had quietly closed.

On 1 September, the library's door opened again. But reopening is only the beginning. The bigger question is whether this 75-year-old institution can find a way to survive.

A library born in a home 

In 1951, progressive political figure and leftist leader Nasim Ali, locally known as "Kochi Bhai", founded the library at his Distillery Road home with 50 books.

The land later came under the name of Ambika Charan Chakraborty, who left the country. The library still operates on land leased in his name, classified as "Ka" schedule vested property. During the Communist Party's underground period, revolutionary politicians including Gyan Chakraborty reportedly took shelter here. 

After independence, Chakraborty reportedly refused Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's proposal, conveyed through Sengupta Nanaji, to take over the land, saying it was better kept for children to play and the library to remain.

A 1969 storm damaged the collection, including encyclopedias and Britannica volumes, while rare books scattered afterwards were never returned. During the 1974 famine, the library also housed a relief kitchen (langarkhana).

In 1973, at the Nazrul birth anniversary event organised at the library, the rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and his family were present as chief guests.

Enayet Kabir, a regular reader from that era and local resident, said, "I've been reading books here since my college days. I prefer storybooks to academic books, so I used to come here for that. Even now, whenever I have time, I occasionally drop by."

Manzarul said, "I joined as a librarian in 1980 and took charge of the library the following year." 

The library has long been associated with prominent figures in literature and culture. Writer and novelist Imdadul Haque Milon developed his craft in its reading environment, while theatre personality Ali Zaker and film actor Shawkat Akbar also took part in its activities. 

Its supporters included Dhaka University teacher Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta, his wife and educationist Basanti Guhathakurta, and Jogesh Chandra, all remembered for their association with the library. 

Later, local enthusiast Golam Mawla, known as Kayes, helped secure its permanent home. He funded the present building in memory of three family members—Nazrul Islam, Sabera Khatun and Sahara Khatun. Artist Bazle Mawla designed its historic monogram.

"Back then very few homes had televisions, and there were no mobile phones at all. Hundreds of boys and girls used to come here," Manzarul recalled.

The library was not merely a quiet reading room—it was a bustling cultural incubator for the neighbourhood's youth.

"We would take everyone on educational trips, and after returning, they had to write about their experiences—prizes were given for good writing," he recalled. "There would also be Jhumur dance, stick dance, and dumbbell exercises."

The demand for books was so high that readers often lined up outside the door.

"We have plans to build a few shops at the front. The rent income from those shops will be used to cover the library's regular expenses. There are plans to formally request book donations from the National Book Centre, the Bengal Foundation, and the Liberation War Museum to further expand the collection." Manzarul Islam Chowdhury, General Secretary, Shimanto Gronthagar

"To prevent book theft, a deposit of 200 taka was kept, which was returned when the book was brought back," Manzarul added.

Shimanto Gronthagar's former general secretary, Kazi Sultan Ahmed Token, added, "The library used to open six days a week, except Sunday. It offered more than books, with weekly dance and drawing classes. People of all ages came, especially young people. Three daily newspapers were also kept, drawing morning crowds of readers."

Alongside former officials and elders, in Enayet Kabir's memory, Shimanto Gronthagar was not just a library for borrowing books; it was a place wrapped in gatherings and memories of adolescence.

Recalling those days, Kabir said, "Back then, this was our evening gathering spot. Without TV or phones, books and friends were our main attractions. I still remember waiting hours for a favourite book and once even stealing money from my father's pocket to pay the Tk200 deposit."

From the aftermath of Partition through the Liberation War and into the 1990s, Shimanto Gronthagar remained a place where reading, cultural activity and community life converged in Old Dhaka.

Why was it shut down?

The library's financial crisis began when its annual tax bill rose sharply—from Tk7,000 to Tk60,000.

Manzarul said, "We're just a library — where would we get this money from? Even if we sold everything, it still wouldn't be enough."

Kazi said the library once ran largely on voluntary labour, but now has to pay staff and cover expenses including Tk60,000 in annual tax. "Without a permanent source of funding, it is difficult to sustain such a historic institution," he said.

Talha, a second-year student who comes to read at the library, said he had not visited for a long time because it remained closed. He used to bring his younger brother with him, who would play with other children while Talha read.

Committee members covered the library's running costs themselves, alongside an annual Tk70,000 government grant secured by Manzarul in 2020. However, the grant requires annual paperwork to be submitted to the Ministry of Social Welfare, which the previous committee failed to do.

Kabir attributes the closure to the tax burden and neglect. He said fewer people now come to read than in the past, but welcomes the effort to repair and reopen the library.

Since the reopening, he said, his wife has been bringing their child to the library, which he hopes will help the child develop a habit of reading.

Manzarul said, "When an organisation falls into the hands of an individual, it gets ruined. Those who were responsible didn't take proper care of it, and through this continued neglect, it shut down in January 2025."

During this period of neglect, road-cutting and drainage work nearly blocked access to the library. Taking advantage of this, miscreants stole electrical wires, fans, window glass, taps and a sack of newly purchased books worth Tk40,000–50,000. More than 600 books were lost in the theft.

Manzarul said the theft was part of a conspiracy to seize the land. "Many people's eyes have fallen on this land, and people are still trying to seize it. The way the theft was carried out was not ordinary," he said.

When the new committee took charge, the library was in poor condition. Manzarul said, "When I took charge and formed the new committee a year ago, its condition was very bad — nothing was there, many things were missing, many books were ruined. We started fresh from there."

Talha said he had already stopped visiting regularly before the closure because the road in front of the library was difficult to access. The theft also left the library with far fewer books, he said.

Rebuilding from the ruins 

After years of neglect and theft, Manzarul returned as general secretary to revive the library. 

"I'm trying to bring it to a point where, even if we're not around, the library keeps running by its own rules, in its own way," he said.

When the new committee took charge, the library was in disrepair. The restoration included five fans, a water motor, taps, a water tank and new electrical lines. Around 600 damp-damaged books were beyond repair, but nearly 10,000 new books have since been added.

Talha said that after it reopened, he came and saw quite a few new books had been brought in, and apparently more will come. He also noticed now that there's always a person present for the library's security.

Manzarul said he has personally spent Tk156,000 on the restoration so far.

Security measures are also being strengthened to prevent a repeat of the theft. The entire premises are being brought under CCTV surveillance.

The new committee has 15 members. The president is Sultan Ahmed, the vice-president is Kayes, the general secretary is Manzarul, and Anis holds the responsibility of librarian. Everyone currently working here is providing tireless service through voluntary labour.

Kabir said a new committee has been formed, and he hopes it can now maintain the old atmosphere in a new way. He said the previous committee members had ignored things a lot and hadn't fixed anything properly.

Expressing his sense of duty, librarian Anis said, "Shimanto Gronthagar is not just a library — it is part of Old Dhaka's heritage. When it shut down due to theft and neglect, it felt really bad. Now, seeing the new books and organised shelves feels good. Our only wish is for readers to pick up books again."

But reopening the library does not solve the question of how it will pay for its future. The committee is now looking for a more sustainable source of income.

Manzarul said, "We have plans to build a few shops at the front. The rent income from those shops will be used to cover the library's regular expenses." Besides this, he said, there are plans to formally request book donations from the National Book Centre, the Bengal Foundation, and the Liberation War Museum to further expand the collection.

On 1 September, Shimanto Gronthagar reopened after nearly a year. Elderly readers, local civil society members and book-loving teenagers gathered at the inauguration, bringing new life to the newly painted shelves.

The management board has been surprised by the response from young people. Manzarul said, "One thing that genuinely surprises me is that many students from the madrasas around us are now coming here and reading books. Seeing all kinds of young people drawn to the library by books like this is truly a wonderful sight."

The library will remain closed one day a week but open to readers on the other days. It also welcomes good-quality book donations through librarian Anis Rahman at 01923849779.

The new generation's return offers a glimpse of the library's old vibrancy. But the real test is whether the doors can remain open. Founded in 1951 with just 50 books, Shimanto Gronthagar will truly be reborn when it once again becomes a regular place for reading, learning and cultural life.