Debashis Chowdhury, an exemplar of Sylheti diaspora passes away due to Covid in Delhi

May 21: Language is perhaps one of the major plugins which provides a unifying touch to people though scattered across space. But to weave a necklace out of the loose pearls is indeed an art which requires expertise and know how. Such a unique human being was Debashis Chowdhury, who by profession was working with Prashar Bharati in Delhi but was in fact a man totally immersed in cultural activities. Love for mother tongue and its dialect- Sylheti was something which distinguished Debashis Chowdhury from many others.

He was indeed an exemplar of Sylheti diaspora as he endeavored to unite the Sylhetis who loved art and culture throughout the globe under one digital umbrella. With this aim in view, he started a Facebook Group “Amra Hokkol Khati Sylheti” (আমরা হক্কল খাঁটি সিলেটী) on 18 October, 2016. To quote him, “Amra Hokkol Khati Sylheti is a socio-cultural Facebook Group of world’s Sylheti community.” Debashis Chowdhury was also a cultural activist and an organiser of various cultural events centering the Sylhetis. The Facebook Group “Amra Hokkol Khati Sylheti” used to celebrate occasions like Rabindra Jayanti, World music Day, Poush Sonkranti etc. The observation of “Language Martyr’s Day” (Bhasha Swahid Dibosh) on 19 May was also a regular feature.  Coming out of the virtual world, this Facebook Group through his initiative organised grand Sylheti meets in Shillong, Delhi and some other parts.

Facebook Group “Amra Hokkol Khati Sylheti” (আমরা হক্কল খাঁটি সিলেটী) shot to more prominence during the lockdown in 2020. Every evening, Sylheti’s from all around the globe used to perform songs, recitation and other cultural discussions in this Facebook page. Many artists from Silchar like Bidhan Laskar, Debojit Saha, Subha Prasad Nandi Mazumdar, Folkira Band, Soumyo Chakraborty of Dohar fame, Nupur dutta are just to name a few who took part in the daily virtual programmes. Artistes from Bangladesh, London, Canada, Australia and many other countries who are Sylheti by birth took part in these online musical programmes. Debashis Chowdhury was also an organiser of events par excellence. He organised many such cultural programmes in Delhi where artists from Barak valley participated and performed songs, dance, recitation and drama.

On 20 April, 2021, Debashis Chowdhury was detected as Covid-19 positive. He tried in vain to get admitted at Batra Hospital in Delhi as it was overcrowded with patients. Sources in his family informed that unable to get a bed at the hospital he decided to purchase an oxygen cylinder at home in Delhi. H developed breathing problems as his oxygen level went down. However, oxygen cylinder at that point of time was an item almost unavailable in Delhi. Finally, his family members could manage a cylinder at an exorbitant rate of Rs.1 lakh. When even after that his condition did not approve, doctors prescribed him an injection which was priced around Rs 4000. However, such became the condition of Delhi, that his family became bound to purchase that injection at a cost of Rs.60,000.

All such measures to cure him failed as his oxygen level came down to 60. At that moment, on 28 April,  somehow his family members managed to get a bed at Batra Hospital in Delhi. He was then shifted to the ICU. However, soon his condition deteriorated and on 17 May, he was put under ventilation. Finally, all efforts of saving him went in vain and Debashis Chowdhury breathed his last at 7 AM on 20 May, 2021. Surajit Bhattacharya, an admin of the group shared this tragic news in the Facebook page of Amra Hokkol Khati Sylheti. Soon condolence messages started to pour in from Sylheti’s from various parts of India and abroad.

Debashis Chowdhury originally hails from Lumding in Assam. He also has a strong Silchar connection. He used to stay on rent for some years at “Jagath Kuthir” in Silchar and study at Silchar Polytechnic. After finishing his studies, he joined Prashar Bharati. His wife also worked in the same department. He is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter-in-law and a host of kith and kin. Taking to social media, many wrote that the demise of Debashis Chowdhury is a great loss to the Sylheti Diaspora.

When in 2014, renowned theatre artist Subrata Roy (Sambhu) from Silchar visited Delhi, after 27 years he met with his college friend Debashis Chowdhury. Both clicked a photo together. Debashis Chowdhury posted that picture in his Facebook and wrote, “Me and my college days’ friend Sambhu (Subrata Roy) who participated as a visiting drama artist from north east in ‘Sreebhumi Poush Utsav’ held in Delhi in 2014. It was a great moment of joy and excitement when we met each other almost after 27 years.”

way2barak.com too got immense help from Debashis Chowdhury last year. Infact, due to the onslaught of Covid-19, Durga Puja 2020 was a low key affair all throughout the country. Various restrictions were imposed at that period of time. It was then that way2barak decided to live telecast Durga Puja not only from the 3 districts of Barak Valley, but also from Kolkata, Tripura, Delhi, Sylhet and Dhaka. It is in this connection that Debashis Chowdhury went to different Puja pandals in Delhi on the night of Maha Asthami and sent live visuals for our viewers. Team way2barak expresses deep condolence at the death of Debashis Chowdhury.