Siddiqui, Zillur Rahman
Siddiqui, Zillur Rahman (1928–2014) a renowned writer, educator and researcher. Zillur Rahman Siddiqui was born on 23 February 1928 at Durgapur village in Jhenaidah district. His father was a teacher at Calcutta Normal School. Zillur Rahman’s primary education started at the village school established by his grandfather. But due to his father’s transferable job, Zillur Rahman completed his education in different schools. He studied 5th and 6th standard in Bakura District School, West Bengal; 7th standard in Jalpaigudi District School; and 8th to 10th standards in Jessore District School. In 1945, after passing matriculation from Jessore District School, he was admitted to Presidency College, Calcutta. He received BA and MA degrees in English literature from the University of Dhaka.
In 1952, he started his career as a program assistant at Radio Pakistan Dhaka Center, and in the same year, he was admitted to Oxford University for higher studies. He returned home with a higher degree from Oxford University and joined Dhaka College in 1954 as a teacher. Later, in 1955, he joined Rajshahi University as a lecturer in the English Department. From 1955 to 1973, he served in various positions at Rajshahi University. In 1974–75, he was the part-time director of the University Grants Commission, and in 1976, he joined Jahangirnagar University as Vice Chancellor. After serving two terms as Vice Chancellor, he retired from the post in 1984. After retirement, he served as Visiting Professor of Visva-Bharati and Vice-Chancellor of Gono Bishavidalaya. In 1990–91, he was appointed advisor to the country’s first caretaker government and served in the Ministry of Education.
He was an activist in the movement for establishing democracy in South Asia and was associated with various organizations. He was Fellow of the Bangla Academy and Asiatic Society of Bangladesh; President of the Bangladesh-India Friendship Association; President of Nagarik Natya Chakra, etc. He contributed to various socio-cultural activities.
He has written many poems, essays, translations, and research papers in Bengali and English. He translated many works of Shakespeare. He was also the editor of the Bangla Academy’s English-to-Bengali dictionary. His notable books are Bangabandhu and Bangladesh, Samson Agnimtiz Milton: Kabyanuvad, Hridaye Janapade, Amar Desh Amar Bhasa, Chad Dube Gele: Kabitha, Prabashe Pratidin: Bhraman Dinalipi, Jakhan Tattabadhayak Sarkar-e Chilam, Bangalir Atthaparichya, Gramer Nam Khidirpur, Zillur Rahman Siddique Rachanabali-vol. 1, 2, & 3; Literature of Bangladesh and Other Essays; Visions and Revisions; Quest for a Civil Society; Higher Education in Bangladesh, etc.
In 1977, Zillur Rahman Siddiqui received the Alaol Sahithya Award. After two years, he received the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1979, the Kazi Mahbub Ullah Begum Zebunnisa Trust Award in 1990, the Alakta Sahitya Purashkar in 1998, and the MA Haque Swarna Padak in 2003. In 2010, he was awarded the highest honor of the state, the ‘Swadhinata Padak’. His wife’s name is Mrs. Kaiser. The couple has three sons and one daughter. Zillur Rahman died on 11 November 2014 in Dhaka. [Sharif Ahmed Chowdhury]
