Girish Chandra Sen’s ancestral home now a museum in Narsingdi

Ancestral home of Girish Chandra Sen, a writer, researcher and linguist known for his Bengali translation of the Holy Quran, is now preserved as a museum in Meherpara of Narsingdi’s Panchdona village.Located near Dream Holiday Park, the house had remained abandoned for years. In 2016, it was rebuilt with a grant from the Indian commissioner, while retaining its original structure, and later opened to visitors.Lime and brick dust mortar, along with valuable timber and tiles collected from different parts of the country, were used in the restoration. The interior has been furnished with furniture from the British period.A bust of Girish Chandra Sen, along with a brief account of his life and work, has been installed in front of the house.Preserving his personal belongingsThe house now accommodates the Bhai Girish Chandra Sen Museum, which preserves his personal belongings, books and archaeological artefacts discovered at the homestead.The museum is open to visitors six days a week, except Sunday.A scholar of religion and languagesGirish Chandra Sen was born in 1834 in Panchdona village. He was known as a writer, researcher and linguist and studied and translated a number of Islamic religious texts.A follower of a different faith, Sen undertook the Bengali translation of the Holy Quran. His work has earned him a significant place in the history of Quran translation in the Bengali language.As a preacher of Brahmoism, he received the honorific title Bhai. Later, after gaining proficiency in Arabic and Persian and working on translations of the Quran and Hadith, he was also given the title Maulvi.Girish Chandra Sen died on August 15, 1910.Today, his restored ancestral home and museum preserve a collection of books, personal belongings and historical artefacts associated with his life and work, offering visitors an opportunity to learn about his contribution to literature, religious studies and translation.Mohammad Nazmul Haque Shamim General Secretary: Bangladesh History Study Council