icons who show the way to love Bangla

Living with blurred legacy

Abdul Hakim (1620-1690)

When asked whether he knew the name of the great medieval poet from the locality, who had profound love for Bangla and criticised those Bengalis who looked down upon their own language some 350 years ago, Ali Arafat, a nine-grade student of South Sandwip High School, replied in the negative.
“I have not heard the name of the poet,” Arafat said, when he was told that the name of the poet is Abdul Hakim (1620-1690), who was born in Sandwip off the coast of Noakhali.
This correspondent asked around 10 school students playing cricket, on Friday, at the upazila parishd play-ground, about Abdul Hakim, who besides Bangla knew Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit. Of them, only two students were able to say that Hakim was a poet.
Hakim's most famous literary work perhaps is Nurnama, or Story of Light, where, in a poem called Bangabani, the bard says, "... those who hate Bangla after being born in Bengal, I cannot tell who gave birth to them…. if one is not happy with his own language, why doesn’t he/she leave Bengal and go somewhere else”.
In the medieval ages, Persian and Arabic tended to be court languages all over the South Asia, and were perceived by some as the languages to do literary work in.
The school students are not exceptions. Talking to The Independent, Member of Parliament from Sanwdip constituency Mahfuzur Rahman Mita, upazila chairman Mohammad Shahjan, upazila nirbahi officer Golam Zakaria, also said they do not know much about the poet.
During a visit to the birthplace of the poet in Sandwip, no establishment was found to commemorate the poet, except a public auditorium named after him, which was established in the Upazila Parishad premises in 2000. No member of Hakim’s family was found in Sandwip. Local people said Sudharampur, where the poet was born, had been devoured by the Meghna long ago.
Nurul Akhter Hossain, 77, a resident of Haramia area and also a former principal of Bandarban Government College, said as much as 250 years back, the poet’s home was devoured by the Meghna. Dr Mahbubul Haque, professor of Bangla Department of Chittagong University, said that the ideas and thoughts of Hakim need to be highlighted to uphold the spirit of Bangla language. His writings include Yusuf-Zulekha, Nurnama, Durre Majlish, Lalmoti Saifulmulk, and Hanifar Ladai. Yusuf Zulekha is a translation of the Persian romance Yusuf Wa Zulekha (1483 AD). Nurnama and Durre Majlish—books of moral instructions—were also translated from Persian. Abdul Hakim’s original writings in Bangla include Lalmati Saifulmulk and Hanifar Ladai. Lalmati Saifulmulk, a romance, was published towards the end of the 19th century and immediately gained wide popularity. The manuscript of Hanifar Ladai is, unfortunately, incomplete.

icons who show the way to love Bangla

Living with blurred legacy

Abdul Hakim (1620-1690)

When asked whether he knew the name of the great medieval poet from the locality, who had profound love for Bangla and criticised those Bengalis who looked down upon their own language some 350 years ago, Ali Arafat, a nine-grade student of South Sandwip High School, replied in the negative. I have not heard the name of the poet, Arafat said, when he was told that the name of the poet is Abdul Hakim (1620-1690), who was born in Sandwip off the coast of Noakhali. This correspondent asked around 10 school students playing cricket, on Friday, at the upazila parishd play-ground, about Abdul Hakim, who besides Bangla knew Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit. Of them, only two students were able to say that Hakim was a poet. Hakims most famous literary work perhaps is Nurnama, or Story of Light, where, in a poem called Bangabani, the bard says, ... those who hate Bangla after being born in Bengal, I cannot tell who gave birth to them. if one is not happy with his own language, why doesnt he/she leave Bengal and go somewhere else. In the medieval ages, Persian and Arabic tended to be court languages all over the South Asia, and were perceived by some as the languages to do literary work in. The school students are not exceptions. Talking to The Independent, Member of Parliament from Sanwdip constituency Mahfuzur Rahman Mita, upazila chairman Mohammad Shahjan, upazila nirbahi officer Golam Zakaria, also said they do not know much about the poet. During a visit to the birthplace of the poet in Sandwip, no establishment was found to commemorate the poet, except a public auditorium named after him, which was established in the Upazila Parishad premises in 2000. No member of Hakims family was found in Sandwip. Local people said Sudharampur, where the poet was born, had been devoured by the Meghna long ago. Nurul Akhter Hossain, 77, a resident of Haramia area and also a former principal of Bandarban Government College, said as much as 250 years back, the poets home was devoured by the Meghna. Dr Mahbubul Haque, professor of Bangla Department of Chittagong University, said that the ideas and thoughts of Hakim need to be highlighted to uphold the spirit of Bangla language. His writings include Yusuf-Zulekha, Nurnama, Durre Majlish, Lalmoti Saifulmulk, and Hanifar Ladai. Yusuf Zulekha is a translation of the Persian romance Yusuf Wa Zulekha (1483 AD). Nurnama and Durre Majlishbooks of moral instructionswere also translated from Persian. Abdul Hakims original writings in Bangla include Lalmati Saifulmulk and Hanifar Ladai. Lalmati Saifulmulk, a romance, was published towards the end of the 19th century and immediately gained wide popularity. The manuscript of Hanifar Ladai is, unfortunately, incomplete.