© 2020 Penguin India
Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899–1976), the national poet of Bangladesh,
was a prolific Bengali poet, revolutionary, essayist, journalist, editor,
activist and composer of songs. Born into a humble family, he began
his career as a member of a band of itinerant folk performers, then
joined the army, and eventually rose to fame as the iconic ‘rebel poet’
who opposed colonial rule in India, promoted communal harmony
and was an outspoken critic of all forms of religious, political and
social discrimination. An extraordinarily versatile writer, he expressed
his talent in multiple genres, including poetry, fiction, prose, drama,
music and journalism. His writings reveal his broad humanism and
prophetic vision. He was one of the architects of modern Bengali
literature after Tagore.