Manzoor-e-Mawla no more

Poet and former director general of Bangla Academy Manzoor-e-Mawla died with Covid-19 at a hospital in the capital yesterday. He was 80.

He breathed his last at Dhaka's United Hospital around 11:00am, according to Bangla Academy's public relations department.

He was buried in the afternoon at Azimpur Graveyard.

Manzoor-e-Mawla, also a researcher on Rabindranath Tagore, was admitted to hospital on December 5 after testing positive for coronavirus.

Mawla also served as secretary in various government ministries. He was director general of Bangla Academy from December 31, 1982 to March 3, 1986.

He was among those who had a significant contribution in giving the monthlong "Amar Ekushey Boi Mela" an official shape and the vibrant attributes that have persisted till today.

His role in renovating the historic Burdwan building, organising the first national folklore workshop and giving fellowships to folklorists like Aroj Ali Matubbar and Khoda Baksh Sai were some other notable achievements of Mawla.

He was also keen on publishing books on the history of Bangla literature and the Language Movement.

Mawla was born in Dhaka on October 1, 1940.

His notable poetry titles include Nimagna, Ki Kore Pabo, Mati Here Jai, Shawla o Dinghi, Pure Pure, Ai din Mitthey, Bandana Bristir and Peyecho Ki.

He also wrote plays in verse like Ami Noi, The Jallianwala Bagh and translated "Brand", a play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.

Mawla also edited a two-part collection of poems written by Rabindranath Tagore and wrote children's literature like Parte Chai Goyenda Boi.

For his contribution to literature he received the Bangla Academy Literary Award and Bangla Academy Rabindra Award, Ahsan Habib Smrity Puroshkar and other accolades.