Quadir, Abdul
Quadir, Abdul (1906-1984) poet, essayist, journalist, was born on 1 June 1906 in the village of Araisidha, comilla, son of Haji Afsaruddin, a businessman. Abdul Quadir lost his mother early in childhood and was brought up by his father.
Abdul Quadir passed the Matriculation from Brahmanbaria Annada Model High School in 1923. In 1925 he passed the ISc from Dhaka Intermediate College. He enrolled at the Dhaka University but could not complete his BA. Instead, in 1929, he joined the editing section of the monthly saogat in Kolkata. He was one of the principal initiators of the Buddhir Mukti Andolan (Movement for freedom of thought), led by the muslim sahitya- samaj. He was the writer as well as editor of shikha (1927), the mouthpiece of the organisation.
For some time, Abdul Quadir served as headmaster at the primary school of the calcutta corporation. Simultaneously, he published and edited the monthly Jayati from 1930 to 1933. He also served in various posts at the Saptahik Nabashakti (1934), Jugantar (1938), Dainik Nabajug (1941), Banglar Katha (the weekly mouthpiece of the Indian Government Department of Publicity), weekly Mohammadi (1946) and weekly Paigam (1947-52). On his return to Dhaka in 1952 he edited the monthly mahe-nao up to 1964. From 1964 to 1970, he was publication officer of the Central Bengali Development Board.
Abdul Quadir wrote many poems and essays. Among his books of poems, essays, literary criticism are Dilruba (1933), Uttar Basanta (1967), Kavi Nazrul (1970), Kazi Abdul Wadud (1976), Yugakavi Nazrul (1986), etc. He also wrote two books on Bangla prosody: Chhanda Samiksan (1979) and Bangla Chhander Itibrtta (1985),
Abdul Quadir also edited a number of books, including Kavya Malavcha (1954), Yakub Ali Chowdhury Rachanabali (1963), Nazrul Rachanabali (5 vols, 1966-84), Shiraji Rachanabali (1967), Kazi Imdadul Huq Rachanabali (1968), Abul Hussain Rachanabali (1968), Lutfar Rahman Rachanabali (1st vol, 1972) Roquiah Rachanabali (1973), and Bangla Sonnet (1974).
In recognition of his literary achievements, Abdul Quadir was awarded the Bangla Academy Literary Prize (1963), Adamjee Literary Award (1967), Ekushey Padak (1976), Nazrul Academy Gold Medal (1977), Comilla Foundation Medal (1977), Mohammad Nasiruddin Gold Medal (1977) and Muktadhara Prize. He died in Dhaka on 19 December 1984. [Mahbubul Haq]
