Bangla Academy DG defends spelling mistakes in his Facebook post

The Bangla Academy director general has become the butt of many jokes on the social media thanks to his recent Facebook post that is riddled with spelling errors.

No fewer than 20 mistakes have been spotted in 23 lines of the post. But DG Shamsuzzaman Khan, a retired professor who has been the subject of internet trolling ever since, is unapologetic.

“Spelling mistakes may occur (in writing),” – is the terse response of the man at the helm of the organisation that is the keeper of Bangla language.

“Why the big fuss about a small issue?” he asked when the bdnews24.com reporter phoned him up for his reaction. “It’s unfortunate and unwarranted,” an adamant Shamsuzzaman added.

 

 He wrote the post in the face of criticism about banning publishing house Shrabon Prokashani from taking part in 2017 Amar Ekushey Book Fair being organised in the Academy premises in February.

Defending the Academy decision, he started his post by saying that “It’s not for self-eulogy, I have to say something against the lies which are being circulated. The youths are getting wrong information. They don’t know the history. The young journalists are the same….”

There are eight mistakes in the first three lines of his post.

He went on delving into pre-independence Language Movement and the contribution he had made in those movements. As he went along, more spelling errors followed.

Shamsuzzaman Khan

Explaining the situation, he said “Mistakes may occur when we write something in a hurry. Sometimes it occurs because elderly people are not so familiar with technology.”

“I don’t want to say anything about the post. I have written a number of books, look at those,” the DG added.

He also declined to comment on Shrabon Prokashani ban decision.

“That chapter is closed,” he added.

On Dec 27, cultural activists protested the ban on the publishing house on the street and demanded resignation of Shamsuzzaman Khan as DG of Bangla Academy. Responding to the street agitation, Khan wrote the post on his facebook page on the following day.