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Remembering GC Dev
by Anisur Rahman
Calcutta University awarded a Ph.D to GC Dev for his theisis on Reason, Intution and Reality. Later, he published the thesis ‘Idealism and Progress’. He was founder principal of Surendranath College in Dinajpur of Bangladesh. He joined Dhaka University as a philosophy lecturer in 1953, in addition to traveling to the USA as a visiting professor several times. American fans of his work later established the Dev Foundation for World Brotherhood, while in 1963 he became the chairman of Philosophy Department at Dhaka University.
Dev had an eventful social and cultural life. He was the general secretary of the Pakistan Philosophical Congress, as well as founded the Darshan Bhaban (Philosophical Building) for the advancement of philosophical practice in his own country. He was elected member to the Union of General Religions in the UK. In addition to further work in the US, he was the visiting professor of Wilkes-Barre College (now Wilkes University) in Pennsilvanya State during 1966-1967. He was in America for several months on an invitation of the Govinda Dev Foundation for World Brotherhood before he returned home in February 1971. But this life of achievement came to a tragic end when Dev was brutally killed by the Pakistani army at his residence on the Dhaka University campus on the tragic night of March 25, 1971.
Dev led a simple life. He experienced some challenging and interesting times as a result of his humble and simple lifestyle, some of which are illustrated in quotes from Jahed Ahmed’s ‘On Martyred Intellectual Prof GC Dev’: ‘Once he was travelling by steamer. He was standing in front of the door of upper class. Suddenly, an officer in charge of checking tickets appeared. After a scanty observation, the officer made an indirect but indecent comment about him. Dr GC Dev ‘(mind you!) this is upper class!” Dev realised the meaning of comment and promptly replied: ‘My dear friend. My appearance is third class, but my ticket is indeed (for) upper class.’
Abdul Matin, philosophy professor at Dhaka University wrote of Dev: ‘[He] had excellent command over Bengali and English. Hearing a lecture of Dev in the USA, an American lady Mrs Miller, who did her MA in English, asked Dev, “how did you learn such wonderful English?” Dev replied to her saying, “could you please write down your comment. It can be a certificate for getting a job in my country.”
Today’s scholars at philosophy department were his followers. They accompanied Dev on many occassions. Many of them used to take dictation from Dev and enjoyed his company. Aminul Islam and Abdul Matin were notable followers of him. Dev was also a friend of eminent scientist and physics professor Ajoy Roy’s father. Mr Roy had regular conversations with Dev, often engaging in debate over the supremacy of physics or metaphysics.
A confirmed bachelor, GC Dev was a true humanist. GC Dev had to sacrifice his life in the struggle for establishing truth in society. He was always optimistic. We need to get the courage from our GC Dev to build a Bangladesh embedded with the spirit of secularism, socialism and democracy when it is most threatened.
— For the use of GC Dev’s biographical information in the articles credit goes to the book, ‘Bangalir Dorshan: Prachinkal Theke Somokal’ by Professor Aminul Islam, Department of Philosophy, Dhaka University.
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