A HUMBLE APPEAL TO ALL

&

SIKH COMMUNITY ALL OVER THE WORLD

IN PARTICULAR…

     For your kind information, I would like to bring to your kind notice that in 1999, I established the Department of World Religions and Culture at the University of Dhaka , first of its kind in the whole of the Muslim world. I made Sikhism a compulsory course in my Department. I had then proposed to establish a Museum of World Religions there. This proposal was approved by the syndicate of the university. 

     Later on the Gurdwara Management Committee, Dhaka approached the Vice Chancellor of the University, on my request, to establish the proposed Museum after the name of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. University authority gladly agreed and gave only one condition. The university will allocate necessary space on the 6th floor of the Arts Building about 8000 sq. ft. But the Sikh community will have to raise the necessary fund needed for the renovation of the space including literature and furniture, etc. As the University of Dhaka does not have necessary funds, the Gurdwara Management Committee agreed readily.

     However, immediately after that, there was some conflicts among the members of the Management Committee and my long cherished dream remained a dream till today.  

     Unfortunately, in Bangladesh there is not a single Sikh Citizen. People, even university students, used to consider this Gurdwara as a Hindu Temple. As I studied Guru Granth Sahib and as I became a great admirer of this religion, I felt the need of establishing a Sikh Research Centre inside the Gurdwara complex. By the kind grace of God, with the support of some Indian Sikh leaders a Sikh Research Centre was established in 2008. During the last 7 years we taught not less than 700 students the basic teachings of Sikhism. All of them are students of Dhaka University. Now nobody considers Gurdwara to be Hindu Temple!

     To make this Centre genuinely a research centre on Sikhism we need many books and journals on Sikhism. I am a Muslim propagating Sikhism. I think our Sikh brothers and sisters should come forward to support me.

     Now most  humbly, I urge upon all the Sikh leaders and scholars all over the world  to think of this proposal seriously.

     I am seventy years old. My health is also not going on well. I may not live long. But before I die, I want to see that my dream has been translated into realty and GURU NANAK MUSEUM OF WORLD RELIGIONS AND CULTURE is established in the University of Dhaka.

With profound regards to you.  

A great admirer of Sikhism,

Prof. Dr. Kazi Nurul Islam