Poet Shamsur Rahman’s death anniv today

Today is the 10th death anniversary of poet Shamsur Rahman, one of the most celebrated poets of contemporary Bangla literature.

Different socio-cultural organisations have drawn up different programmes to mark the day. The programmes include placing at Banani graveyard, holding discussion meetings and recitation and musical functions.

He authored a total of 60 books of poetry, and some of the recurrent themes in his poems are liberal humanism, human relations, youth, patriotism and opposition to religious fundamentalism.

Shamsur was born in his grandfather’s house at Mahut-Tuli, Dhaka on October 23, 1929. He started writing poetry at the age of 18.

In 1949, his poem Unishsho Unoponchash was published in Sonar Bangla which was then edited by Nalinikishor Guho.

Shamsur Rahman’s first book of poetry, Prothom Gaan Dwityo Mrittyur Agey, was published in 1960.

He wrote his famous poem Asader Shirt in 1969, as a tribute to the mass uprising that took place earlier that year. Bondi Shibir Theke and Buk Tar Bangladesher Hridoy remain two of his most popular titles.

A graduate in English literature, Shamsur Rahman had a long career as a journalist, and served as the editor of now-defunct national daily Dainik Bangla and weekly Bichitra in the 1980s.

He became an outspoken liberal intellectual in the 1990s against religious fundamentalism and reactionary nationalism in Bangladesh.

Shamsur died of heart and kidney failure at the age of 77, on August 17, 2006, after having been in a coma for 12 days.