Belal Chowdhury's 1st death anniversary observed
A poet, prose-writer, translator and also a journalist, Belal Chowdhury was born in Feni on Nov 12, 1938. He was the eldest among nine siblings.
Chowdhury had been involved in leftist movement during his student life and even went to jail while participating in the language movement in 1952.
He had served as an editor of literary magazine Krittibas in the sixties and seventies while he lived in Kolkata. Later he had worked with Pallibarta, Sachitra Sandhani and Bharat Bichitra as an editor.
Chowdhury has authored more than 50 books of poems, prose and juvenile fiction. He wrote under pennames like 'Ballal Sen,' 'Mayur Bahan' and Sabuktagin.
'Nishad Pradeshe,' 'Atmapratikriti,' 'Sthir Jibon O Nishorgo,' 'Jolbishuber Purnima,' 'Selai Kora Chhaya,' and 'Batrish Number,' are some of his notable anthologies of poems.
His prose, articles and research books include 'Sphulinga Theke Dabanol,' 'Dumurpatar Aboron,' 'Chetonar Rong Chandrashila' and 'Laksam Dada O Onnano Golpo.'
His juvenile literary works include 'Sharey Batrish Bhaja,' 'Soptorotner Kandokarkhana' and Shobuj Bhashar Chhora.'
Apart from his original writings, Chowdhury also translated from famous poets such as Jorge Luis Borges, Pablo Neruda, Dylan Thomas and Octavio Paz. He also edited few memoirs 'Pablo Neruda-Shotoborsher Shroddhanjoli,' 'Shamsur Rahman Songbordhona Grontho,' and 'Kobitay Bangabandhu.'
Chowdhury had returned to Bangladesh from Kolkata in 1974 and joined progressive cultural movement. He contributed in forming Jaitiya Kabita Parishad and Padabali Kabita Sangathan.
Chowdhury had been honoured with Ekushey Padak in 2014 along with other accolades, such as Bangla Academy Literature Award, Niharranjan Swarna Padak, and Jatiya Kabita Parishad Award.
With his sturdily built body, fair complexion and smartness Belal Chowdhury made many friends beginning from teenagers to elderly ones in Kolkata. It was not an easy job. Such was his polpularity that literary enthusiasts including young girls of Kolkata would call him 'Belalda'. In fact, 'Belalda' became a popular name in Kolkata. Belal Chowdhury edited Krittibash, a Bangla poetry magazine edited by Sunil Gangopadhyay, at a quite young age. He made friendship with eminent writers like Samaresh Basu, Subhas Mukhapaddhya, Samarendra Sengupta, Tarapada Ray, Shankha Ghose, Kabita Sinha, Nabanita Deb Sen, Shirshendu Mukhopaddhya, Samaresh Majumder and many others.
Belal Chowdhury was called a minstrel of poetry. He used to move from one place to other like a roaming baul. Very few people have sacrificed so many things in life for literature as he did. He spent the best part of his life worshipping poetry. Poetry was his polestar, his life force. In 1974, after the death of his father he came back to Bangladesh at the call of his mother. His mother forced him to marry and return to disciplined life. He got involved in all progressive and literary movements of the country. He was one of the organisers of Jatiya Kabita Parishad and Padaboli. Belal Choudhury played a vital role in making a bridge between the poets of Bangladesh and West Bengal. During his stay in Kolkata, Chowdhury would write for many newspapers and magazines. He would write for newspapers and literary magazines like Anandabazar Patrika, Jugantar, Desh, Amrita and Krittibas. He was also involved with various newspapers in Bangladesh. He edited a number of books. Sunil Gangopadhyay, Shakti Chattopadhyay, Belal Chaudhury, Sarat Kumar Mukhopadhyay and Shankha Ghosh are regarded as Panchokobi of Krittibas era.
The writer is a freelance contributor.
