About Ashru Archive
Ashru Archive is a non-profit research and resource organisation based in Kushtia, Bangladesh. It was founded on 6 March 2016 by the family and friends of poet, women entrepreneur, and social worker Sahida Musa Ashru (1933–2015), in tribute to her enduring legacy and inspiring spirit. The Archive is governed by an executive committee, supported by a board of advisors. Its primary mission is to collect, preserve, research, publish, and promote multidisciplinary materials—including written, printed, and audio-visual resources such as books, journals, maps, documentary films, and archival recordings—alongside works of art and craft. Ashru Archive aspires to serve as a dynamic resource centre for artists, researchers, readers, and the wider community. It seeks to foster deeper engagement with the socio-economic, political, and cultural histories of the region, creating space for learning, reflection, and knowledge exchange.
About Sahida Musa Ashru
Sahida Musa Ashru was a poet and social worker whose life and work left a lasting impact on her community. She was born in 1933 in Chandat, a rural village in the Kushtia subdivision of Nadia District in British Bengal (present-day Kushtia, Bangladesh). Her literary journey began early, with her poetry published in Mahe-Now, one of the leading literary magazines of the time, in 1951. Beyond literature, she played a pioneering role in the rural cooperative movement during the 1970s. Through her efforts, many village women were empowered to become self-reliant, particularly through traditional crafts such as hand embroidery (Nakshi Kantha). In recognition of her contributions to the cooperative movement, she received a National Award in 1984. Her only published book, Ashrunama—an autobiographical work edited by Shawon Akand—was released by Mom Prokash, Dhaka, in 2007. After a life of profound contribution, Sahida Musa Ashru passed away on 6 March 2015 at the age of 82, leaving behind a legacy of creativity, resilience, and social commitment.