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{{Short description|Indian Bengali-language publisher and bookstore}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=July 2020}}
'''Muktadhara''' ({{lang-bn|মুক্তধারা}}) is an international organization, [[publishing house]] and [[bookstore]] dedicated to the promotion of [[Bengali literature]] and culture.<ref name="Bari">{{cite news |author=Bari, Rashidul |url=http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=78371 |title=The Muktadhara legacy |newspaper=[[The Independent (Bangladesh)|The Daily Independent]] |access-date=April 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080407012050/http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=78371 |archive-date=April 7, 2008}}</ref> It was started in the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]] by the late [[Chittaranjan Saha]], who in his work as head of the publishing house pioneered the [[Ekushey Book Fair]].<ref name="Bari"/><ref name="fair">{{cite news |last=Mahmud |first=Jamil |date=February 26, 2008 |title=Muktadhara: Pioneering the Ekushey Book Fair |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=24926 |work=The Daily Star}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Chittaranjan Saha passes away |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=16736 |work=The Daily Star |date=December 27, 2007 |access-date=April 10, 2008}}</ref> In addition to its early involvement with The Ekushey Book Fair, the organization is connected to other cultural Bengali events, like International Language Day and the International Bengali Festival.<ref name="Bari"/> It also participates in the spread of literature and culture by taking part in such events as the National Poetry Festival.<ref>{{cite news |last=Karim |first=Elita |date=October 31, 2003 |title=6th National Poetry Festival |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/2003/10/31/d31031140286.htm |work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |access-date=April 10, 2008}}</ref>

The Muktadhara book sellers & Publishers chain, founded by Saha's younger brother Bishawjit Saha who is the Founder of Muktadhara Foundation Inc and current president of the Muktadhara Inc. has four stores in the [[United States]].<ref name="Bari"/><ref name="Datta">[[Jyotirmoy Datta|Datta, Jyotirmoy]]. (September 9, 2005) [http://www.desitalk.com/dit/2005/09/09/nyc6-083327.html '10 greatest Bengalis' recognized by bookstore chain Muktadhara]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} desitalk.com. Retrieved April 10, 2008.</ref> Its [[New York City]] store is the largest Bengali-language bookstore in the city.<ref>{{cite news |last=Barnes |first=Julian E. |date=June 6, 1999 |title=Bengali Woman Writes Book, Takes Heat |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/06/nyregion/neighborhood-report-new-york-up-close-bengali-woman-writes-book-takes-heat.html |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

==History==
In a 2008 interview, Muktadhara's director Jawhar Lal Shaha explained that Muktadhara, which takes its name from the Bengali words for "free-flowing stream",<ref name="Bari"/> was founded in the late 1960s and grew from Chittaranjan Saha's gatherings with writers exiled in [[Kolkata]] from [[Bangladesh]] during the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] of 1971.<ref name="fair"/> Saha, who promoted the publication of writings for their country, published 32 books during the war, founding Muktadhara in Kolkata.<ref name="fair"/> After the war, Saha relocated to Bangladesh and began publishing creative works as well.<ref name="fair"/> In 2004, poet [[Mohammad Nurul Huda]] retrospectively described Muktadhara publishing house as "the most notable of its kind in the post-independence literary world of the country", indicating that "any book coming out of Muktadhara was deemed as up-to-the-mark".<ref name="Huda">Huda, Mohammad Nurul. (2004) [http://www.newagebd.com/2005/apr/16/lit.html Abid Azad's making as a poet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071226034958/http://www.newagebd.com/2005/apr/16/lit.html |date=December 26, 2007 }}. ''New Age''. Retrieved April 10, 2008.</ref> The poet attributed this to the custom of the publishing house to subject manuscripts to review by a panel of readers, adding that "no manuscript saw the light of day if it was not duly recommended by the reviewers and concerned editor".<ref name="Huda"/>

In 1972, Saha began selling publications from Muktadhara on the grounds of the [[Bangla Academy]] during the weeklong celebration of Language Day.<ref name="fair"/> Gradually, Muktadhara was joined by other publishers, and in 1978 the Bangla Academy formalized the collection of sellers as the Ekushey Book Fair.<ref name="fair"/>

Bishwajit Saha founded The New York branch of Muktadhara in 1990 as a bookstore operating out of his apartment in [[Jackson Heights, Queens|Jackson Heights]].<ref name="Datta"/> Subsequently, on February 21, 1992, Muktadhara and a number of other organizations joined together to place a temporary monument honoring the [[Bengali Language Movement#Events of 1952|student martyrs killed forty years before protesting the exclusion of Bengali from the official language list of Pakistan]], a tradition which has become annual.<ref name="Bari"/> The New York Branch has also launched community writing workshops, reading series in conjunction with various school and community projects, and, since 1992, the International Bengali Book Fair in New York and other cities in North America.<ref name="Bari"/> In 2008, publishing houses from multiple countries are expected to participate, with confirmed participation by a number of international guest, including Foreign Adviser [[Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury]] and poet [[Sunil Ganguly]].<ref>Alam, Mahbubul. [http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=76629 Bangla festival begins in NY June 27]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''The Daily Independent''. Retrieved April 10, 2008.</ref>

The New York branch has also honored the "10 Greatest Bengalis Alive", a list garnered by online survey commenced in December 2004 and concluded on May 31, 2005,<ref>Weekly Asian Times. [http://www.weeklyasiantimes.com/6955.html '10 Greatest Bengalis Alive']{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} weeklyasiantimes.com. Retrieved April 10, 2008.</ref> promoted with international outreach.<ref>Ganguly, Arnab. (December 11, 2004) [https://web.archive.org/web/20121020082348/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-12-11/kolkata/27162339_1_bengalis-muktadhara-dhaka-and-kolkata Now, a global poll for Bengali living legends] ''[[The Times of India]]''. Retrieved April 10, 2008.</ref> The list was announced at New York's [[Manhattan Center]] on August 28, 2005, with guests of honor Carolyne Wright and [[Clinton B. Seely]] also celebrating the 15th anniversary of the New York branch.

On April 25, 2008 Muktadhara hosted [[Muhammad Yunus]], the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner. The Nobel Laureate revealed his new book, ''Creating a World without Poverty''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bari |first=Rashidul |date=November 24, 2007 |title=Of free markets and benevolence |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=12766 |work=The Daily Star}}</ref> Rashidul Bari,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grameen-social-business-model-rashidul-bari/1103995966?cm_mmc=borders-_-sku-_-na-_-na&ean=9781463406271 |title=Grameen Social Business Model |website=Barnes & Noble}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abebooks.com/9781463406271/Grameen-Social-Business-Model-Manifesto-1463406274/plp |title=Grameen Social Business Model: A Manifesto for Proletariat Revolution |website=AbeBooks}}</ref> the author of ''Grameen Social Business Model: A Manifesto for Proletariat Revolution'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Grameen-Social-Business-Model-Proletariat/dp/1463406274 |title=Grameen Social Business Model: A Manifesto for Proletariat Revolution |publisher=Amazon.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Bari |first=Rashidul |date=August 9, 2011 |title=The Revolution Has Begun In Bangladesh |url=http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2011/08/08/revolution-has-begun-bangladesh }}</ref> and the producer of the film ''The Killing of Muhammad Yunus Biographer'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipolitics360.com/videos/TheKillingofMuhammadYunusBiographer-XtUyLzwifrY.htm |title=The Killing of Muhammad Yunus Biographer |website=iPolitics360 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331120221/http://www.ipolitics360.com/videos/TheKillingofMuhammadYunusBiographer-XtUyLzwifrY.htm |archive-date=March 31, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalpolitician.com/27050-bangladesh-shajahan-khan-tareque-masud |title=The Death of Tareque Masud and the Trial of Shajahan Khan |last=Bari |first=Rashidul |date=August 22, 2011 |website=Global Politician |access-date=October 19, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021175607/http://www.globalpolitician.com/27050-bangladesh-shajahan-khan-tareque-masud |archive-date=October 21, 2011}}</ref> welcomed the Nobel Laureate at Muktadhara.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
18. http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/J469-2015, Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim February 21, 2015 as Mother Language Day in the State of New York
19. http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/J4982-2011, Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim the week of June 24–30, 2012 as International Bangla Festival Week in the State of New York

==External links==
* http://www.muktadhara.com/ Muktadhara publishing house website
* https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/resolutions/2015/j3690
* http://www.nyboimela.org// New York Bangla Book Fair Website

[[Category:Publishing companies established in 1971]]
[[Category:Book publishing companies of India]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Companies based in Kolkata]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Kolkata]]

Muktadhara - Revision history

imported>Tamingimpala: /* External links */ removed redundant external links