Kazi Nazrul Islam: the Bengal Hero

Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899 –1976) was a Bengali poet, writer, musician, and revolutionary. He is the national poet of Bangladesh. Commonly known as Nazrul, he produced a lot of poetry and music with themes that included religious devotion and spiritual rebellion against fascism and domination. Nazrul's engagement for political and social justice earned him the title of "Rebel Poet" (Bengali: Bidrohi Kobi). In addition to being respected in Bangladesh, he is equally commemorated and admired in India, especially in the Bengali-speaking states of West Bengal and Tripura.
Career: Nazrul joined the British Indian army in 1917 and left in 1920 when the 49th Bengal Regiment was disbanded and settled in Calcutta, which was then the "cultural capital" of India (it had ceased to be the political capital in 1911). He joined the staff of the Bangiya Mussalman Sahitya Samiti ("Bengali Muslim Literary Society") and roomed at 32 College Street with colleagues. He published his first novel Bandhan-hara (Freedom from Bondage) in 1920, on which he continued to work over the next seven years. His first collection of poems, which included "Bodhan", "Shat-il-Arab", "Kheya-parer Tarani", and "Badal Prater Sharab", received critical acclaim.

Working at the literary society, Nazrul grew close to other young Muslim writers including Mohammad Mozammel Haq, Afzalul Haq, Kazi Abdul Wadud and Muhammad Shahidullah.

Homage:

The government of Bangladesh conferred upon him the status of "national poet" in 1972. He was awarded an Honorary D.Litt. by the University of Dhaka in 1974 and in 1976 he was awarded the Ekushey Padak by the President of Bangladesh Justice Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem. Nazrul was awarded the Jagattarini Gold Medal in 1945 – the highest honor for work in Bengali literature by the University of Calcutta – and awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's third-highest civilian honors, in 1960.

This is a complete listing of the works by Kazi Nazrul Islam, in the Bengali language.

Poetry:

• Agni Bina (The Fiery Lute), 1922
• Sanchita (Collected poems), 1925
• Phanimanasa (The Cactus), 1927
• Chakrabak (The Flamingo), 1929
• Satbhai Champa (The Seven Brothers of Champa), juvenile poems, 1933
• Nirjhar (Fountain), 1939
• Natun Chand (The New Moon), 1939
• Morubhaskar (The Sun in the Desert), 1951
• Sanchayan (Collected Poems), 1955
• Nazrul Islam: Islami Kobita (A Collection of Islamic Poems; Dhaka, Bangladesh: Islamic Foundation, 1982)

Poems and songs:

Further information: Nazrul Geeti:

• Dolan Chapa (name of a faintly fragrant monsoon flower), 1923
• Bisher Bashi (The Poison Flute), 1924
• Bhangar Gan (The Song of Destruction), 1924 proscribe in 1924
• Chhayanat (The Raga of Chhayanat), 1925
• Chittanama (On Chittaranjan), 1925
• Samyabadi (The Proclaimer of Equality), 1926
• Puber Hawa (The Eastern Wind), 1926
• Sarbahara (The Proletariat), 1926
• Sindhu Hindol (The Undulation of the Sea), 1927
• Jinjir (Chain), 1928
• Pralaya Shikha (Doomsday Flame), 1930 proscribed in 1930
• Shesh Saogat (The Last Offerings), 1958

Short stories:

• Rikter Bedan (The Sorrows of Destitute), 1925
• Shiulimala (Garland of Shiuli), 1931
• Byathar Dan (Offering of Pain), 1922

Novels:

• Bandhan Hara (Free from Bonds), 1927
• Mrityukshuda (Hunger for Death), 1930
• Kuhelika (Mystery), 1932

Plays and drama:

• Jhilimili (Window Shutters), plays, 1930
• Aleya (Mirage), song drama, 1931
• Putuler Biye (Doll's Marriage), children's play, 1933
• Madhumala (Garland of Honeysuckle) a musical play, 1960
• Jhar (Storm), juvenile poems and play, 1960
• Pile Patka Putuler Biye (Doll's Marriage), juvenile poems and play, 1964
• Shilpi (Artist)

Essays:

• Joog Bani (The Message of the Age), 1926
• Jhinge Phul (The Cucurbitaccus Flower), 1926
• Durdiner Jatri (The Traveller through Rough Times), 1926
• Rudra Mangal (The Violent Good), 1927
• Dhumketu (The Comet), 1961