HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, April 19 — The three-day third phase of ‘Setubandh’, a statewide outreach initiative by Asam Sahitya Sabha, concluded on April 20 in Dhubri, following its flag-off from the Sabha’s Guwahati headquarters on Friday. Led by President Dr Basanta Kumar Goswami, the journey aimed to strengthen the literary body’s connection with various sections of society and to gather feedback for the organisation’s future course.
Dr Goswami was accompanied by Vice President Padum Rajkhowa, Principal Secretary Debojit Bora, and other senior members and activists of the Sabha. The journey, which began at 8 am from Bhagawati Prasad Baruah Bhaban in Guwahati, covered Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup, Nalbari, Baksa, Chirang, Bongaigaon, and Dhubri districts, engaging with local communities and Sahitya Sabha units.
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On the first day, the team participated in ‘Mon Juruwa’ and ‘Setubandh’ programmes at Nalbari and Baksa, organised by the respective district Sahitya Sabhas. The event at Nalbari, held at Subhadra Choudhuri Bhawan, was chaired by Dr Biren Kumar Chakraborty, President of Nalbari Zila Sahitya Sabha.
Addressing the gathering as Chief Guest, Dr Basanta Kumar Goswami recalled the contribution of Sarat Chandra Goswami, the first Principal Secretary of the Sabha, and called for broader public support. “I urge all sections of the people of Assam to extend wholehearted cooperation so that the Sabha can move forward in the interest of language, literature and society,” he said. He also appealed to the public to become permanent members of the Sabha and requested district and branch committees to take active steps in this direction.
Vice President Padum Rajkhowa highlighted the importance of grassroots participation. “People’s involvement and sincere organisational activities at the local level are crucial for the overall well-being of the Sabha in the coming days,” he noted.
Principal Secretary Debojit Bora emphasised the link between a strong Sabha and a strong Assamese identity. “The Assamese nation will grow stronger only if the Asam Sahitya Sabha remains strong. We must all come forward and support this cause,” he urged.
Prominent attendees included Sabha steering committee member Dhiren Sarma, Guwahati regional office secretary Dr Sanjeeb Kumar Sarma, Director of the Sabha’s translation project Hridayananda Gogoi, Corpus Fund Convenor Gobinda Kalita, and others including representatives from AASU, Sadou Asam Karmachari Santha, and noted writers and local intellectuals. The meeting was conducted by Dhrubajyoti Sarma, Convenor of the Sabha’s Natya Sanmilan sub-committee.
On the second day, the team attended a ‘Mon Juruwa Anusthan’ at Barpeta Sahitya Sabha premises, presided over by Barpeta Sahitya Sabha President Hiran Saikia. Speaking at the programme, Principal Secretary Debajit Bora stressed the Sabha’s role in shaping social discipline. “It is the prime responsibility of Sabha members to help regulate and bring discipline to a society troubled by misdeeds,” he said. He also called for public membership to support the Sabha’s financial independence.
Vice President Padum Rajkhowa appealed to citizens to actively contribute their suggestions. “During times of crisis in our language, literature, and culture, every conscious citizen must play their part,” he said. The event was attended by several noted personalities including Hridayananda Gogoi, Dr Abdul Kuddus Sikdar, Bipul Sarma, and Nayanmani Choudhury, along with local intellectuals and Sabha members.
Earlier that morning, the team visited Bamuna Satra, Sundaridiya Satra, and Barpeta Satra to strengthen engagement with the Satra community.
The final leg of the Setubandh journey began from BRPL Manas Guest House on the morning of April 20, with the team heading to the Dhubri regional office of the Sabha. A highlight of the concluding programme was the conferring of the ‘Simanta Prahari’ Samman to noted lawyer and former Vice President of the Sabha, Pachugopal Chakraborty. The team also engaged with local organisations, writers, intellectuals, and netizens of Dhubri district to conclude the mission.
