I have only just learned that Pradip Kumar Roy, a former professor and Chairman in the Department of Philosophy at Dhaka University, passed away in April. I have known him for many years and thought very highly of him. Not only was he a distinguished scholar with a list of accomplishments too long to mention, but he was also a very kind and generous man. I remember many pleasant conversations in person and via email, and it pains me that I will not get a chance to talk to him again.
I am grateful that we got to do philosophy together on a few occasions. The photos above show an event at the Dev Centre of Philosophical Studies in Dhaka in August 2017, in which we both participated. A year later, when Peter Singer asked me if I knew someone who could translate his classic Animal Liberation into Bengali, I immediately knew that Pradip was the right person to ask. The result was this book, which continues to open the minds of Bengali-speaking readers to a new way of thinking about our relationship with nonhuman animals and to inspire them to live differently, just as the English original has done around the world for generations. Along with his other important works, such as the collection he discusses here, this translation stands as a lasting testament to Pradip’s intellectual curiosity and his commitment to making important philosophical ideas accessible to a wider audience.
I will remember him with gratitude and great affection. Rest in peace, my friend.
Rainer Ebert 