DHAKA: ‘Conversion to Islam’ in South Asia was an outcome of social liberation inspired by the liberating message preached by the ‘Sufi Sheikhs’.

It was not a sudden process, it was a very slow and unconscious process that took centuries after centuries.

So, the process should be termed as ‘creative adaptation’ instead of ‘conversion’- pointed out by Prof. Richard Eaton, an eminent scholar of History from University of Arizona, USA.

He said this in a discussion titled “Reconsidering ‘Conversion to Islam’ in South Asian History” organized by the Department of Social Sciences and Humanities of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) on Monday (December 12) in city’s Bashundhara campus.
 
The Talk was attended by IUB faculties and students as well as academicians of different universities.

A lively and interactive question-answer session took place after the speech of Professor Eaton.

Dr. Mahbub Alam, the Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (SLASS), IUB, presented the welcome address while Vice Chancellor of IUB Prof. M Omar Rahman delivered his remarks.

The Head of the Department of Social Sciences and Humanities Dr. Talim Hossain gave the vote of thanks after the program.

BDST: 2109 HRS, DEC 12, 2016
BD