Rahman, Sheikh Habibur

Rahman, Sheikh Habibur (1891-1962) journalist, was born at Goshgati in jessore in 1891. He passed the Entrance examination (1910) from Jessore Zilla School and the IA (1912) from the City College, Kolkata. He studied for the BA (1914) but did not graduate. Subsequently he passed LT (1923) from David Hare College.

Habibur Rahman worked as assistant editor on the weekly Moh'a'mmad'i' (1914) and later edited the monthly Ba'b'gan'u'r (The Light of Bengal, 1919) and Usa (Dawn). He taught at Jessore Zilla School (1914), Barasat Government High School (1924), Hughli Branch School (1927) and Barrackpur High School (1930). He also worked as sub-inspector of maktab (junior schools for religious instruction) in khulna. After his retirement in 1944, he taught at the Khulna Coronation Girls'; School from 1951 to 1960.

Habibur Rahman wrote in a variety of genres: poetry, satire, juvenile literature etc. He also wrote a number of history books and travelogues. Among his well-known books are P'a'rij'a't (Coral Trees, 1912), A'be H'a'y'a't (The Water of life, 1914), Chetan'a (Awareness, 1915), Par'i'r K'a'hin'i (Fairy Tales, 1916), H'a'sir Galpa (Humorous Tales, 1917), B'a'nshari (Flute, 1917), Niy'a'mat (Divine Grace, 1917), Kohin'u'r (Kohinoor, 1919), M'a'l'a'b'a're Islam Prach'a'r (Preaching of Islam in Malabar, 1919), Alamgir (1919), Sundarbane Bhrama'n 'K'a'hin'i (Travel to the Sundarbans, 1927), Chhotader Galpa (Stories for the juvenile, 1935), Bh'a'rat Samr'a't B'a'bar (Babur, the Emperor of India, 1936), Mara'n'er Pare (The Life Beyond, 1950), etc. He wrote a literary autobiography A'm'a'r S'a'hityaj'i'ban (My Literary Life, 1927). He also translated two books from the Persian: Mah'a'kabi Sheikh S'a'd'i'r Gulist'a'ner Ba'b'g'a'nub'a'd (The Bangla translation of Gulist'a'n by the poet Sheikh Sadi, 1933), Bust'a'nr Banganubad (Bangla translation of Bustan, 1934), His writings are replete with his liberal thoughts and characterised by his love for humanity, nature, and society. He was awarded the title S'a'hityaratna (literary gem) by Nadia Sahitya Sabha. Habibur Rahman died in Khulna on 7 May 1962. [Badiuzzaman] [Badiuzzaman former Deputy Director, Bangla Academy, Dhaka]