Kobi (Poet) Shamsur Rahman

Shamsur Rahman was a popular Bangladeshi poet of Bangladesh. He is not only a poet but also a journalist and columnist. He is generally known as “Kobi Shamsur Rahman”. Here “Kobi” means “Poet”. He wrote more than sixty books of poetry. He is also considered a key figure in Bengali literature. He wrote many poems about the romanticized rebellion of youth, human relations and liberal humanism etc. He received many awards including Ekushey Padak (1977), Bangla Academy Award (1969), TLM South Asian Literature Award for the
Masters (2006), Swadhinata Dibosh Award (1991), Adamjee Award (1962), Ananda Puroshker from India (1994) and Mitshubishi Award of Japan (1992) etc.

Shamsur Rahman was born on 23rd October 1929 in his grandfather's house at Dhaka. He was the fourth of thirteen children in his family. In 1945, he passed his S.S.C at Pogos High School and he passed his H.S.C at Dhaka College in 1947. Later three years he studied at Dhaka University in English literature but did not take the examination. He got admitted to the B.A. pass course and received his B.A. in 1953 after a break of three years. In the same subject, he also received his M.A. and there he stood second in second division. In 1957, he started his professional career as a co-editor in the English daily "Morning News" but later he left this job and went to the Dhaka center. In 1960, he returned back to his own rank at "Morning News" and there he worked till 1964. He was a journalist and editor of a national daily, Dainik Bangla and the weekly Bichitra in the 1980s.

At the age of eighteen, Shamsur Rahman started writing poetry. During his leisure, he read Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam’s book. He was also a fan of Jasimuddin poetry. His poem "Unissho Unoponchash" was published in "Sonar Bangla" in 1949. In 1960, his first book of poetry "Prothom Gaan Dityo Mrittur Agey" (First Song before the Second Death) was published and it helped him to get the popularity. He wrote his famous poem "Asader Shirt" in 1969. This poem was written for respect to the mass uprising of 1969 led by Maulana Bhasani. He also wrote a number of extra ordinary poems during the Liberation War of Bangladesh. Those poems inspired Bangladeshi freedom fighters. After the independence of Bangladesh in 1972, those poems were published in "Bondi Shibir Theke" (From Confinement in Enemy Territory). During the historical movement against Ershad he published his book "Buk Tar Bangladesher Hridoy" indicating the great sacrifice of Nur Hossain. Shamsur Rahman wrote many poems in Jibanananda Das’s pattern.

Shamsur Rahman wrote many poems including Prothom Gan Ditio Mrittur Age (1960), Gontobbo Nai Ba Thakuk(2004), Na Bastob Na Dushshopno(2006), Obirol Jolahromi (1986), Firiay Nao Ghatok Kata (1974), Roudro Korotite (1963), Ami Onahari (1976), Ekauser Akash (1982), Amar Kono Tara Nei (1984), Hridoy Amar Prithibir Alo (1989), Ruper Probale Dogdho Shondha(1998) etc. Shamsur Rahman also wrote many children’s literature, novels, autobiography and short stories. Besides this, Shamsur Rahman also translated some drama and poems.

Shamsur Rahman was so busy on his work during 1960- 2006. But his health started to broke down at the end of 1990s. As a result he received two major cardiac surgeries. But at the age of 77, due to heart and kidney failure, he died on 17 August 2006 in Dhaka.