84th birthday of Rabeya Khatun and Syed Shamsul Haque today

Today is the 84th birthday of eminent novelist Rabeya Khatun and versatile poet-write Syed Shamsul Haque. Born on December 27 in 1935 at the house of maternal uncle in Bikrampur, the then Bengal Presidency, British India (now in Munshiganj District, Bangladesh), her father was Maulavi Mohammad Mulluk Chand and mother was Hamida Khatun in Bikrampur. Khatun grew up Shantinagar area in Dhaka and passed the entrance examination from Armanitola School in 1948. She married Fazlul Haque (1930–1990), in 1952.

The veteran writer was also a teacher at one point in her life and had also been also associated with journalism and worked at Khawatin magazine, edited by Jahanara Imam. She then worked as the editor of the literature section of the magazine Cinema along with Zahir Raihan. Later she become the editor of the monthly Angana. She has written novels, research papers, short stories, religious stories, travel stories, children’s novels, memoirs, etc. She has written over 50 novels and more than 400 short stories.

She received immense praise for her first novel ‘Madhumati’ in 1963 and has written about the turbulent times of the Liberation War in her book ‘Ekattorer Noy Maas’ in 1990. Some of her works are ‘Mon Ek Shwet Kapoti’ (1965), ‘Ononto Onwesha’ (Endless Pursuit), ‘Rajabagh’ (1967), ‘Saheb Bazar’ (1967), ‘Ferari Surjo’ (Fugitive Sun, 1975), ‘Onek Joner Ekjan’ (One of Many Persons, 1976), ‘Jiboner Ar Ek Naam Dibos Rojoni’ (1980), ‘Bayanno Golir Ek Goli’ (One of Fifty Two Alleys, 1984), ‘Baganer Naam Malnichara’, ‘Ei Birohokal’ (This Time of Separation, 1995), ‘Ei Bhora Bador Mah Bhador’ (1995), ‘Rabeya Khatuner Nirbachita Premer Upanyas’ (Selected Novels of Rabeya Khatun, 1995), ‘Priyo Gulshana’ (Beloved Gulshana, 1997), among many others.

For her immense contributions in the field of literature, she has received various awards such as the Independence Day Award, Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Award, Lekhika Sangha Award, Nasiruddin Gold Medal, Humayun Kadir Memorial Award, Uro Shishu Shahitya Award, Komor Mushtari Shahittyo Award, Shere-e Bangla Gold Medal, Wrishijo Literary Award, Layla Samad Award and various other awards.

On the other hand, born in Kurigram on December 27 in 1935, Syed Shamsul Haq was a poet, lyricist and writer. He was awarded the Bangla Academy Award in 1966 (the youngest among all to receive it), Ekushey Padak in 1984 and Independence Day Award in 2000 by the Bangladesh government for his contributions to Bangla literature.

Haque wrote poetry, fiction, plays (mostly in verse), music lyrics and essays. Haque wrote many songs including ‘Jar Chaya Poreche Monero Aynate’ and ‘Haire Manush Rongin Fanush’.

His novels ‘Nishiddha Loban’ (1990) and ‘Khelaram Khele Ja’ (1991) and plays ‘Payer Awaj Paoa Jay’ and ‘Nuruldiner Sara Jibon’ were highly acclaimed.

Haque’s poetry included ‘Ekoda Ek Rajje’ (1961), ‘Boishekhe Rochito Ponktimala’ (1969), ‘Birotihin Utsob’ (1969), ‘Protidhonigon’ (1976), ‘Opor Purush’ (1978) and ‘Kobita Samagra’ (2007).

He wrote a number of popular plays like ‘Payer Awaj Paoa Jay’, ‘Nuruldiner Sara Jibon’, ‘Ekhane Ekhon’, ‘Ganonayaka’, ‘Eersha’, ‘Narigon’, ‘Uttarbangsha’, ‘Khatta Tamasha’, ‘Judhha ebong Judhha’ and ‘Banglar Mati Banglar Jol’.

Haque was married to Anwara Syed Haq. She is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in London. Together they have one daughter, Bidita Sadiq, and one son, Ditio Syed Haq. He died of lung cancer at the age of 81 in Dhaka on September 27, 2016. l

Research book to be published
Marking the 84th birth anniversary of Syed Shamsul Haque, Bayanna Prakash will publish a research book titled ‘Syed Shamsul Haquer Muktijuddher Sahitya’ by Aminur Rahman today. The book discusses how the spirit of Liberation War of Bangladesh depicted in Syed Haque’s poetry, novel and plays.

84th birthday of Rabeya Khatun and Syed Shamsul Haque today

Today is the 84th birthday of eminent novelist Rabeya Khatun and versatile poet-write Syed Shamsul Haque. Born on December 27 in 1935 at the house of maternal uncle in Bikrampur, the then Bengal Presidency, British India (now in Munshiganj District, Bangladesh), her father was Maulavi Mohammad Mulluk Chand and mother was Hamida Khatun in Bikrampur. Khatun grew up Shantinagar area in Dhaka and passed the entrance examination from Armanitola School in 1948. She married Fazlul Haque (19301990), in 1952. The veteran writer was also a teacher at one point in her life and had also been also associated with journalism and worked at Khawatin magazine, edited by Jahanara Imam. She then worked as the editor of the literature section of the magazine Cinema along with Zahir Raihan. Later she become the editor of the monthly Angana. She has written novels, research papers, short stories, religious stories, travel stories, childrens novels, memoirs, etc. She has written over 50 novels and more than 400 short stories. She received immense praise for her first novel Madhumati in 1963 and has written about the turbulent times of the Liberation War in her book Ekattorer Noy Maas in 1990. Some of her works are Mon Ek Shwet Kapoti (1965), Ononto Onwesha (Endless Pursuit), Rajabagh (1967), Saheb Bazar (1967), Ferari Surjo (Fugitive Sun, 1975), Onek Joner Ekjan (One of Many Persons, 1976), Jiboner Ar Ek Naam Dibos Rojoni (1980), Bayanno Golir Ek Goli (One of Fifty Two Alleys, 1984), Baganer Naam Malnichara, Ei Birohokal (This Time of Separation, 1995), Ei Bhora Bador Mah Bhador (1995), Rabeya Khatuner Nirbachita Premer Upanyas (Selected Novels of Rabeya Khatun, 1995), Priyo Gulshana (Beloved Gulshana, 1997), among many others. For her immense contributions in the field of literature, she has received various awards such as the Independence Day Award, Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Award, Lekhika Sangha Award, Nasiruddin Gold Medal, Humayun Kadir Memorial Award, Uro Shishu Shahitya Award, Komor Mushtari Shahittyo Award, Shere-e Bangla Gold Medal, Wrishijo Literary Award, Layla Samad Award and various other awards. On the other hand, born in Kurigram on December 27 in 1935, Syed Shamsul Haq was a poet, lyricist and writer. He was awarded the Bangla Academy Award in 1966 (the youngest among all to receive it), Ekushey Padak in 1984 and Independence Day Award in 2000 by the Bangladesh government for his contributions to Bangla literature. Haque wrote poetry, fiction, plays (mostly in verse), music lyrics and essays. Haque wrote many songs including Jar Chaya Poreche Monero Aynate and Haire Manush Rongin Fanush. His novels Nishiddha Loban (1990) and Khelaram Khele Ja (1991) and plays Payer Awaj Paoa Jay and Nuruldiner Sara Jibon were highly acclaimed. Haques poetry included Ekoda Ek Rajje (1961), Boishekhe Rochito Ponktimala (1969), Birotihin Utsob (1969), Protidhonigon (1976), Opor Purush (1978) and Kobita Samagra (2007). He wrote a number of popular plays like Payer Awaj Paoa Jay, Nuruldiner Sara Jibon, Ekhane Ekhon, Ganonayaka, Eersha, Narigon, Uttarbangsha, Khatta Tamasha, Judhha ebong Judhha and Banglar Mati Banglar Jol. Haque was married to Anwara Syed Haq. She is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in London. Together they have one daughter, Bidita Sadiq, and one son, Ditio Syed Haq. He died of lung cancer at the age of 81 in Dhaka on September 27, 2016. l Research book to be published Marking the 84th birth anniversary of Syed Shamsul Haque, Bayanna Prakash will publish a research book titled Syed Shamsul Haquer Muktijuddher Sahitya by Aminur Rahman today. The book discusses how the spirit of Liberation War of Bangladesh depicted in Syed Haques poetry, novel and plays.