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Sayeed Ahmed's book with its cultural gleanings

Fayza Haq
About his book 'In Pursuit of Culture", which was launched at "Etcetra" on July 18*. Sayeed Ahmed speaking to The Daily Star said. * I tried to use my visits to not only see the countries but to dwell deep into their cultural and traditional aspects. When I went to Moscow, for instance. I linked up the experience of ballet with the famous British ballerina Margot Fontyn with that of Maya Plistskiya so that this was a presentation of a long chain of cultural events. In Nepal 1 met a famous writer and poet Balakrishna Sama and in the midst of the intellectual contributions. I brought out their traditional behaviour and ways of life in the simplest of words.
" I introduce personalities like Khatir Ghaznavi of Pakistan, and other individuals of international fame, like the Russian poet Syed .Akhmet, with whom 1 've had cross cultural exchanges. When I took the Bangladeshi cultural delegation to Tashkent, along with Bobita. we met famous Russian actresses so that there was a twaiaLilink.
'In my writings I brought in' Boris Pasternak and Yevtushenko, who are dear to the hearts of the freedom loving Bangladeshis, along with the sending of the Russian astronauts into space, which had an appeal even to the common man. I tried to punch human interest and humour into the travelogue, as when we got theatre tickets in Russia by bribing with ball point pens.”
Hasnat Abdul Hye, critique and litterateur, said ’In his book Syeed Ahmed has given some of his views of literature, fine arts, archi-
tecture, plays and about personalities, whom he met in a lucid style. He has. in the process, also given an explanation of various concep-
tual issues like the Noh theatre to those who are not initiated in these arts. The main attraction of die book is that complex subjects and different issues have been explained in a very simple way. What comes out in the book is Sayeed Ahmed's passion for culture. Wherever he goes he is always in the look out for cultural institutions, personalities and activities."
Aly Zaker. media personality, said, "Sayeed Ahmed brings to life difficult things in a simple lan guage. He looks into the fascinating and varied cultures of different counties without making the book heavy’ reading. When he discusses the fate of the Buddhist statues in Afghanistan he deals with the subject with compassion but does not run down anyone.
"He is an individual who can discuss absurdity in play's with* authority and alacrity. Similarly he can talk about abstraction in fine arts as about traditional art His knowledge of music too is profound. His presentation of Brecht’s personal life is also fascinating too."
Iftikharuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Advisor to the Minis tty* of Po'reign Affairs, said, " Sayeed Ahhted has been a renaissance man, a public servant, actor, critic and playwright. His recounts of his travels are passionate and emotional as that of his realising that the poet Mashima in Japan had committed suicide. He was a transmitter and receiver of culture. Incidentally, his wife Parveen Ahmed has been of a source of great support for him in writing the book."