Literature Desk :
Rafiq Azad Rafiqul Islam Khan; February 14, 1941 – March 12, 2016) was a Bangladeshi poet, editor and writer. He is credited with 45 collections of poetry including Prokriti O Premer Kobita, Asombhober Paye, Sohosro Sundor, Haturir Nichey Jibon, Khub Beshi Durey Noy, Khomakoro Bohoman Hey Udar Amiyo Batas and others. He is most well-known for his poem Bhaat dey haramjada (Give me food, bastard) which was written during the famine of 1974. The lines of the poem became popular among young people who used them to protest political and social injustices in Bangladesh. The poet participated in the war against the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971 Liberation War and was awarded ‘Notable Freedom Fighter Award’ in 1997. He has also received prestigious National Award Ekushey Padak in 2013 and Bangla Academy Award in 1984.
Rafiq Azad was born on February 14, 1941 in the remote village of Guni in Tangail, a central region of Bangladesh. He was the youngest of three children of Salimuddin Khan and Rabeya Khan. Azad earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Bengali literature from University of Dhaka in 1965 and 1967, respectively.
Azad was widely regarded as one of the most prolific young poets in the post-Liberation War period.
Since then, he had experimented with language and poetic form, where surrealistic approach was conspicuous. He described himself as a ‘lover of humans, nature and romance.’
His first book of poetry, Ashombhober Paye, was published in 1973. He had 45 books to his credit, including an autobiography.
Throughout his professional life, spanning 50 years, Azad had many roles. He began his career as a lecturer in Kagmari College (now Govt. Maulana Mohammad Ali College) in Tangail in the late 1960s. After the Liberation War, he joined Bangla Academy in 1972 and worked there for over a decade, as the Executive Editor of Uttaradhikar, a monthly magazine. He was also the Editor of Robbar, another popular weekly in 1980s. Azad was the Director of National Book Center of Bangladesh for many years. He briefly served as the Deputy General Manager of BJMC (Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation).
He took a keen interest in the culture and traditions of tribal ethnicities of Bangladesh and took up the role of Director of the Upajati Shangskriti Kendra in Birishiri, Netrokona in the 1990s.
Later he went back to teaching and became a Visiting Professor of literature in Jahangirnagar University, Savar. In the recent years, he had been working in the daily Amader Shomoy.
Awards:
Alaol Literary Award (1981) Bangla Academy Award (1984) Poet Ahsan Habib Award (1991) Poet Hasan Hafizur Rahman Award (1996) Notable Freedom Fighter Award (1997) Ekushey Padak (2013)
Books:
Asombhober Paye Seemabadha Jalae, Simito Shobuje Ekjibone Haturier Nichey Jibon Porikirno Panchala Amer Swadesh Khub Bashi Durea Noy Khomakoro Bohoman Hey Udar Amiyo Batas Koro Ashuro Paat Pagolar Thekey Premikar Chiti Apar Aronnye Moulobir Mon Bholo Nay Poems on love environment and other difficulties.
Rafiq Azad suffered a stroke in January 2016 and remained hospitalised for almost 8 weeks. He died on March 12, 2016 in Dhaka. n
Rafiq Azad Rafiqul Islam Khan; February 14, 1941 – March 12, 2016) was a Bangladeshi poet, editor and writer. He is credited with 45 collections of poetry including Prokriti O Premer Kobita, Asombhober Paye, Sohosro Sundor, Haturir Nichey Jibon, Khub Beshi Durey Noy, Khomakoro Bohoman Hey Udar Amiyo Batas and others. He is most well-known for his poem Bhaat dey haramjada (Give me food, bastard) which was written during the famine of 1974. The lines of the poem became popular among young people who used them to protest political and social injustices in Bangladesh. The poet participated in the war against the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971 Liberation War and was awarded ‘Notable Freedom Fighter Award’ in 1997. He has also received prestigious National Award Ekushey Padak in 2013 and Bangla Academy Award in 1984.
Rafiq Azad was born on February 14, 1941 in the remote village of Guni in Tangail, a central region of Bangladesh. He was the youngest of three children of Salimuddin Khan and Rabeya Khan. Azad earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Bengali literature from University of Dhaka in 1965 and 1967, respectively.
Azad was widely regarded as one of the most prolific young poets in the post-Liberation War period.
Since then, he had experimented with language and poetic form, where surrealistic approach was conspicuous. He described himself as a ‘lover of humans, nature and romance.’
His first book of poetry, Ashombhober Paye, was published in 1973. He had 45 books to his credit, including an autobiography.
Throughout his professional life, spanning 50 years, Azad had many roles. He began his career as a lecturer in Kagmari College (now Govt. Maulana Mohammad Ali College) in Tangail in the late 1960s. After the Liberation War, he joined Bangla Academy in 1972 and worked there for over a decade, as the Executive Editor of Uttaradhikar, a monthly magazine. He was also the Editor of Robbar, another popular weekly in 1980s. Azad was the Director of National Book Center of Bangladesh for many years. He briefly served as the Deputy General Manager of BJMC (Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation).
He took a keen interest in the culture and traditions of tribal ethnicities of Bangladesh and took up the role of Director of the Upajati Shangskriti Kendra in Birishiri, Netrokona in the 1990s.
Later he went back to teaching and became a Visiting Professor of literature in Jahangirnagar University, Savar. In the recent years, he had been working in the daily Amader Shomoy.
Awards:
Alaol Literary Award (1981) Bangla Academy Award (1984) Poet Ahsan Habib Award (1991) Poet Hasan Hafizur Rahman Award (1996) Notable Freedom Fighter Award (1997) Ekushey Padak (2013)
Books:
Asombhober Paye Seemabadha Jalae, Simito Shobuje Ekjibone Haturier Nichey Jibon Porikirno Panchala Amer Swadesh Khub Bashi Durea Noy Khomakoro Bohoman Hey Udar Amiyo Batas Koro Ashuro Paat Pagolar Thekey Premikar Chiti Apar Aronnye Moulobir Mon Bholo Nay Poems on love environment and other difficulties.
Rafiq Azad suffered a stroke in January 2016 and remained hospitalised for almost 8 weeks. He died on March 12, 2016 in Dhaka. n
