Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud[1] (known as Al Mahmud; 11 July 1936 – 15 February 2019)[2] was a Bangladeshi poet, novelist, and short-story writer. He is considered one of the greatest Bengali poets to have emerged in the 20th century.[3] His work in Bengali poetry is dominated by his frequent use of regional dialects.[4] In the 1950s he was among those Bengali poets who were outspoken in their writing on such subjects as the events of the Bengali Language Movement, nationalism, political and economical repression, and the struggle against the West Pakistani government.[5]

Al Mahmud
Mahmud in 2007
Native name	আল মাহমুদ
Born	Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud (1936-07-11)11 July 1936 Brahmanbaria District, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died	15 February 2019(2019-02-15) (aged 82) Dhaka, Bangladesh
Occupation	Poet, journalist
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Genre	Poet, novelist, short-story writer
Subject	Literature
Notable works	Lok Lokantor Kaler Kalosh Sonali Kabin Mayabi Porda Dule Otho
Notable awards	Full list
Spouse	Late Sayeda Nadira Begum
Children	Mir Sharif Mahmud Mir Arif Mahmud Mir Tarek Mahmud Atia Mir Tania Mir Mir Muhammad Monir Mir Anis Zinia Mir

Early life and career

Mahmud was born in Morail Village of Brahmanbaria District in present-day Bangladesh.[6] His childhood and secondary education days were spent in this village which is located adjacent to Brahmanbaria town.[6]

Mahmud started his career as a journalist. He obtained widespread recognition after Lok Lokantor was published in 1963. In succession, he then penned Kaler Kalosh (1966), Sonali Kabin (1973),[7] and Mayabi Porda Dule Otho (1976).[8] His other notable poetical works include, Arobbo Rojonir Rajhash, Bakhtiyarer Ghora and Nodir Bhitorer Nodi.[9] In addition to writing poetry, he wrote short stories, novels and essays such as Pankourir Rakta and Upamohadesh. In 1971 he went to India and worked there to build public opinion in favour of the Liberation War of Bangladesh.[3] After the war, he joined The Daily Ganakantha as the assistant editor. He was jailed for a year during the regime of the Awami League government. Later, he joined Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 1975 and retired in 1993 as director of the academy.

Literary work

Mahmud's literary work Shonali Kabin[10] published in 1973, is considered as a landmark of Bengali poetry.[9] Philosopher Sibnarayan Ray commented:

Al Mahmud has an extraordinary gift for telescopic discrete levels of experience; in his poems I find a marvelous fusion and wit which reminds me occasionally of Bishnu Dey. The complete secularism of his approach is also striking…he was born and brought up in a very conservative Muslim religious family; it is not a secularism forced by some ideology, but present naturally and ubiquitously in his metaphors, images and themes.

Selected works

Awards

• Bangla Academy Literary Award (1968)[9]
• Joy Bangla Award (1972)
• Humayun Kabir Memorial Award (1972)
• Jibonananda Memorial Award (1972)
• Kaji Motaher Hossain Literary Award (1976)
• Kabi Jasim Uddin Award
• Philips Literary Award (1986)
• Ekushey Padak (1986)
• Nasir Uddin Gold Award (1990)
• Chattagram Sangskriti Kendro Farrukh Memorial Award (1995)[11]
• Alakta Literary Award
• Lalon Award (2011)

References

External links

• "Poetic genius". The Daily Star. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
• "The Shame of Return". The Daily Star. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
• "Poetry is a work of a lifetime". The Daily Star. 11 July 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2017.