Nawajish Khan

Nawajish Khan medieval Bangla poet, writer of gule bakawali. The bhanita (prefatory self-introduction) of the poem mentions that he was born in Amirabad under satkania thana of chittagong. His father, Muhammad Yar Khondakar, is noted as the founder of Amirabad. Selim Khan, the poet's great grandfather, is said to have come from Gauda and settled at Silimpur.

Nawajish Khan was inspired to write Gule Bakawali by a local zamindar, Badyanath Roy.

The story in verse narrates the love of Prince Tajulmulk for the fairy Bakawali. There are numerous adventures before the two are united. This romance is accepted as the poet's masterpiece. The story of Gule Bakawali became very popular in Bengal and several versions of the story were written in prose and verse up to the 19th century.

Nawajish Khan's other books include Gitavali and Bayanat, which were both inspired by sufism, Praksipta Kavita, Pathan Prashangsa and Jorwar Singh Kirti, works eulogising two landowners of Chittagong, Hossain Khan and Jorwar Singh respectively. [Wakil Ahmed]