During the anti-British movement, people of the Indian Subcontinent set up numerous Gandhi Ashrams across the region to uphold and promote Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of non-violence and non-cooperation.
Being inspired by the movement, Nasir Uddin Sarkar of Jamalpur built a Gandhi Ashram in his village of Kapashatia. After being demolished and neglected for years, the Ashram was recently renovated with the addition of a museum to commemorate the history of Bangladesh’s liberation war.
Nasir Uddin Sarkar, the then secretary of Jamalpur Congress, built the Gandhi Ashram in 1934 at his own house on the bank of Jhenai River, 15 kilometre from the district town.
The aim was to spread Gandhi’s message of non-violence among the people and provide them with various vocational training for self-reliance. They were taught how to operate spinning wheel, various handicrafts, basic education and physical exercises.
Famous personalities including Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haq, Maolana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, Comrade Moni Singh, Barin Dutt, Ismail Hossain Siraji, Abdus Sattar and Khandkar Abdul Baki, among others, visited the Gandhi Ashram. Political meetings were regularly held there.
After the partition in 1947 and the emergence of Pakistan, the school, vocational training centres, health facilities, and other infrastructures of the Ashram were demolished by Muslim League activists. They also beat up and severely injured Nasir Uddin Sarkar. Since then the activities slowed down.
However, despite all odds it took part in the liberation war by giving refuge, resources to the local freedom fighters.
After the death of Nasir in 1978, his family continued to support the Ashram to keep up his legacy.
In 2006, with the help of local people and international community, the Ashram was renovated under a Trustee Board. A Freedom Struggle Museum was also established alongside the Ashram to uphold the history of the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.
Apart from students, everyday a good number of local and foreign visitors come to see the Ashram, which has rare collection of artefacts from the British era.
It also hosts photos, journals and other historic documents of the liberation war along with screenings of films and documentaries.
One of the most effective programme of the Ashram is ‘Inspiring the young generation in the spirit of the liberation war’, where young learners visit the Ashram to learn about the history and engage in interactive discussion.
Moreover, staying true to the spirit of Gandhi Ashram, it continues to provide free computer and sewing training to the villagers.
Director of the Trustee Board of Gandhi Ashram and the Freedom Struggle Museum, Utpal Kanti Dhar, said: “The Ashram, along with the museum, represents Bangladesh’s long anti-colonial struggle in the 20th century. We are continuously working to enrich it by adding information, photos and other documents related to the history that the Ashram is a proud witness to.”
“Since we are situated in a remote village, we urged the government to repair the road to the Ashram. A guest house in the area will also help attract more visitors,” he added.
Many visitors to the Ashram said if such institutions could be established in the villages across the country, the young generation could learn more about humanity and patriotism.
