North South University (NSU) hosted a lecture on 3 May 2026 in Dhaka exploring how the Indigo Rebellion is remembered, interpreted and reshaped over time, bringing together students and faculty under its School of Humanities and Social Sciences SHSS Distinguished Lecture Series.
The session, titled “Memories of Indigo Rebellion: Retained, Erased, Transmuted,” was held at the SHSS Conference Room and featured Professor Syed Jamil Ahmed as keynote speaker, with Professor Abdur Rob Khan, Treasurer of NSU, providing concluding observations, the university said.
The discussion opened with remarks from NSU School of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean Professor Md Rizwanul Islam, who highlighted the role of the lecture series in promoting interdisciplinary engagement across academic fields such as law, English, history and journalism.
He said the forum enables students to examine themes beyond conventional classroom frameworks and encourages critical thinking on how historical narratives are shaped.
He pointed to the relevance of the featured work in the context of Bangladesh, where history not only influences the present but is also shaped by present and future perspectives.
He added that the book discussed in the session contributes to the growing field of memory studies by examining how historical accounts evolve over time.
Professor Syed Jamil Ahmed focused on bridging the gap between recorded historical events and the collective memory surrounding the Nil Bidroho, or Indigo Rebellion.
Drawing on his research, he explained how the experiences of rural communities involved in the rebellion have been preserved unevenly across different platforms.
He said elements of the resistance have been retained in folk traditions, removed or overlooked in colonial documentation and transformed into contemporary cultural expressions.
Using comparisons and real-world examples, he illustrated how historical narratives can vary depending on perspective and context, making the topic accessible to a diverse audience of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
He also emphasised that interpretations of the Indigo Rebellion differ among social groups, reflecting broader dynamics of power and representation.
He concluded that the rebellion should not be viewed solely as a political episode in history but as an enduring symbol of resistance against systemic exploitation.
The session included an interactive question-and-answer segment where faculty members and participants discussed issues such as the ethical responsibilities of historians, the role of class structures in shaping narratives, power dynamics and the significance of performance in reclaiming marginalised identities.
Professor Abdur Rob Khan said the exchange of ideas fostered a deeper discussion on regionally relevant issues and highlighted the continued importance of historical resistance in understanding contemporary social justice challenges.
The event concluded with a crest presented to the keynote speaker in recognition of his contribution.
Organisers said the session met its objective of encouraging academic inquiry while offering practical insights into how history is interpreted and understood in modern contexts.
