Three
sides to every story: Literature from Bangladesh
For Bengali translation by
native translator contact www.indianscripts.com
To speak of Bangla
literature as a whole, the name of Bangladesh comes up inevitably; a three-phase era whose roots were laid
during the troubled times in 1947. A decade followed before the initial form underwent further transformation
and in 1970, it kicked-off as the modern persisting structure.
For Bengali translation by
native translator contact www.indianscripts.com
The
1947 to 1957 era is in reality a pre-partition phenomenon. The host of problems East Bengal faced
including an inflow of refugees, multiple economic distress, communal disturbances – it was also the Pakistani
regime's hostile attitude towards East Bengal that played a significant part. The aftermath and up to a certain
extent, realization, of creating a domain based on religion reflected through the Language Movement; the protest
of the resident Bengalis towards making URDU the chief language. The demand for linguistic rights thus came out
in the form of the first phase of Bangla literature. It laid the foundation for a separate entity, though being
a continuation of the trends set by Muslim writers of undivided Bengal. Fiction was the first
outlet.
For Bengali translation by
native translator contact www.indianscripts.com
The
base on which modern Bangladeshi literature stands was a joint effort from the people of prominence; Muhammad
Najibur Rahman, Korban Ali, Sheikh Idris Ali, Kazi Imdadul Huq, Kazi Abdul
Wadud, Akbaruddin and many more gave it shape between 1895 and 1978. Among the rest, Abul
Fazal and Humayun Kabir contributed through assimilating the cerebration of the Bengali Muslim
society of the early 20th century.
Rural
Bangladesh plays a substantial role all over the first phase; evident from works like Laalshaloo,
Char-Bhanga Char or Alamnagarer Upakatha, it took some time to appear in forefront for the writers
who chose life of the middle class and its crisis as their theme. Abul Fazal, the author of Jiban Pather
Yatri and Ranga Prabhat are such two works. But novels were the trend, not short stories.
The
genre came to prominence in the post-1947 era; the Partition of Bengal gave rise to a new social life of the
middle class. The theme stuck with the new writers reflecting vividly the social reality and how the onset of
urban life replacing the rural quietude. Alauddin Al-Azad's Mriganabhi is considered a landmark in this
aspect.
The
other form, i.e. poetry was struggling to establish a separate form devoid of
Kolkata
-centred
panache; the effort resulted in romantic poems based on early Islamic history and nationalism. Farookh
Ahmad, the most salient poet of the era paid special attentions to religious sentiments; we may state it as
an example of the then-existent secular and humanistic themes, while serenades of depravity were centering
around the modern society, its daily fatigue and suppressed rebellion.
The
collective angst brought forth the events of 21 February; the year 1952 influenced poetry the most, as much as
the national life of the country. Anthologies like Ekushey February and Natun Kavita played
significant roles to promote secularism and humanism; playwrights, however, could not flourish to any
significant extent untilMunier
Chowdhury
single-handedly raised the status of Bangla plays to an international level. Some hold the religious and social
taboos largely responsible; technical drawbacks regarding the presentations also kept the genre stifled. Historical
themes like Akbaruddin's Nadir Shah demanded more than good performers.
The
beginning of the second phase in 1958 can be termed as a protest against the dictatorial policy of army chief
Ayub Khan, that also derived from the people's uprising in 1968, the students' movement in 1969, the victory of
the Bengalis in the 1970 general elections and the after-effects of Pakistan’s refusal to transfer power to
them. Commitment to society and progressive political thoughts being the chief subjects, the phase blended
modernism with individualistic European approaches, until the
third
phasemarked its presence
in1971
following the
liberation
warof
Bangladesh. Inspired
by the war,
the
dream of a free and classless Bangladesh thus met the realization of independence, sentiments and experiences;
it was a new slue that set out an era of differential
fictional, poetic,political
and sociological creations.
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