Syed Manzoorul Islam (born 18 January 1951) is a Bangladeshi critic, writer and a former professor of
Dhaka University
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
.
As a literary critic, he has written criticism on writers including
Michael Madhusudan Dutt
Michael Madhusudan Dutt ((Bengali: মাইকেল মধুসূদন দত্ত); (25 January 1824 – 29 June 1873) was a Bengali poet and playwright. He is considered one of the pioneers of Bengali literature.
Early life
Dutt ...
,
Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam ( bn, কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম, ; 24 May 1899 – 29 August 1976) was a Bengali poet, Bengali literature, writer, Bangladeshi music, musician, and is the national poet of Bangladesh. Nazrul is regarded as one ...
,
Sudhindranath Dutta
Sudhindranath Dutta (30 October 1901 – 25 June 1960) was an Indian poet, essayist, journalist and critic. Sudhindranath is one of the most notable poets after the Tagore-era in Bengali literature.
Education
Sudhindranath Dutt went to the Theo ...
,
Samar Sen
Samar Sen ( bn, সমর সেন; 10 October 1916 – 23 August 1987) was a prominent Indian Bengali language, Bengali poet and journalist in the post-Independence era.
Education
Samar Sen was a graduate of the Scottish Church College, at t ...
, and
Shamsur Rahman.
He received a
Bangla Academy Literary Award
The Bangla Academy Literary Award ( bn, বাংলা একাডেমি সাহিত্য পুরস্কার; ''Bangla Academy Shahitya Puroshkar''), is given by the Bangla Academy of Bangladesh in recognition of creative genius i ...
in 1996,
[ and his 2005 short stories collection ''Prem o Prarthanar Galpo'' was ]Prothom Alo
''The Daily Prothom Alo'' ( bn, প্রথম আলো) is a daily newspaper in Bangladesh, published from Dhaka in the Bengali language. It is the largest circulated newspaper in Bangladesh. According to National Media Survey 2018, conducte ...
's book of the year. He became the president of PEN Bangladesh in January 2018.
Life and career
Islam was born in the city of Sylhet
Sylhet ( bn, সিলেট) is a metropolitan city in northeastern Bangladesh. It is the administrative seat of the Sylhet Division. Located on the north bank of the Surma River at the eastern tip of Bengal, Sylhet has a subtropical climate an ...
to Syed Amirul Islam and Rabeya Khatun. He passed the entrance examination from Sylhet Government Pilot High School
The Sylhet Government Pilot High School ( bn, সিলেট সরকারি পাইলট উচ্চ বিদ্যালয়) is one of the fourth oldest schools in Bangladesh as well as one of the oldest in Indian Subcontinent. It i ...
in 1966 and Intermediate examination from Sylhet MC College in 1968. He received his graduate and post-graduate degree from the University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
respectively in 1971 and 1972. Later he went to Canada and earned a PhD from Queen's University, Kingston in 1981. In 1989, he went to the University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a public research university with its main campus located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, ma ...
at Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg is a city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, located primarily in Forrest County (where it is the county seat and largest city) and extending west into Lamar County. The city population was 45,989 at the 2010 census, with the populat ...
as a Fulbright Scholar and taught there one semester. He retired from the faculty position at the University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
and joined University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh ( bn, লিবারেল আর্টস বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় বাংলাদেশ) (ULAB) is a private liberal arts-based University in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Founded in ...
.
Literary writings
Islam used to write from his childhood. While reading in class six, he published his writing in a magazine, ''Shikkhok Samachar''. During his university days as a student, his friend's father fell sick and died in pain. This emotionally affected Islam and led him to write his first story, "Bishal Mrittu" in 1973. It received a positive response; but he abstained from publishing anything during his days in Canada. On his return to Bangladesh, he returned to writing and began contributing a regular column "Olosh Diner Hawa" in the literary section of the ''Dainik Sangbad''. He wrote on issues including art and literature. In 1989, Islam started writing for the magazine ''Bichinta'', which published many of his post-modern stories.
Islam describes himself as "a critic by training and a writer by compulsion".[ Though he writes in many genres, he himself values his fictional work more than his other writings.] In his stories, he usually incorporates his own experiences. He tries to live the life of his characters, seeing the world through their eyes and describing their pain and happiness.[ Of the surrealistic nature in his writing, he said that in his childhood he used to listen to fairy-tales in which surrealistic elements were an integral part and that gave his writing a similar texture.][ He believes that "the surreal is the flip side of reality - it is what gives meaning to our everydayness".][
]
Bibliography
Collections of Short stories
*''Shrestho Golpo'' (1994)
*''Thaka na-thakar Golpo'' (1996)
*''Kach Bhanga Rater Golpo'' (1998)
*''Alo O Ondhokar Dekhar Golpo'' (2001)
*''Prem O Prarthonar Golpo'' (2005)
*''Shukhdukkher Galpo'' (2011)
*''Bela Obelar Galpo'' (2012)
*''The Merman's Prayer and Other Stories'' (in English) (2013)
Novels
*''Adhakhana Manush'' 2006)
*''Tin Parber Jiban'' 2008)
*''Kanagalir Manushera'' (2009)
*''Ajgubi Rat'' (2010)
*''Dinratriguli'' (2013)
Essays
*''Nandantattwa'' (1985)
*''Katipaya Prabandha'' (1992)
*
*''Rabindranther Jyamiti o Anyanya Shilpaprashanga'' (2011)
*''Olosh Diner Haowa'' (2012)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Islam, Syed Manzoorul
1951 births
Living people
People from Sylhet
Bangladeshi male novelists
Bangladeshi short story writers
Bengali–English translators
University of Dhaka alumni
University of Dhaka faculty
Bangladeshi columnists
Recipients of Bangla Academy Award
Recipients of the Ekushey Padak
Murari Chand College alumni
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh faculty