Poet Bonde Ali's 107th birth anniversary today

Today (January 17) marks the 107th birth anniversary of poet Bonde Ali, one of the leading Bengali poets and lyricists of 19th century.
Bonde Ali was born in 1906 in Narayanpur, Pabna. However, after his death on June 27, 1979, his legacy was in danger of being lost. His admirers, therefore, established Kobi Bonde Ali High School in 1988. Unfortunately this is the lone institution named after the noted poet in his home district.
“The school with 500 students has been set up in the poet's memory, 15 kms from the district headquarters. The aim is also to spread education in rural areas,” Amirul Islam Ranga, one of the founders of the school, informed this correspondent.
Headmaster of the school Mahatab Uddin said the school authorities annually organise special programmes such as cultural competition for children and discussions about the life and works of Bonde Ali. This year too, a day-long programme, has been chalked out to coincide with the birth anniversary of Bonde Ali.
Bonde Ali's verses depict idyllic rural life, free from complexities and the din and bustle of a mechanical existence. Not only was he a prolific poet but also an able painter and scriptwriter.
“Char Jamai”, Bonde Ali's first book, was published in 1927 from Calcutta Ashutosh Library. Till his death the poet wrote 84 books including poetry, prose, drama and lyrics. Most of them are set in rural Bengal. His famous poem “Maynamotir Char” was published in 1931 from DM Library in Calcutta.
Among his famous books are “Anurag” (1933), “Padma Nadir Char” (1933), “Shapna Shadh”(1936) and “Madhumatir Char” (1946), to name a few.
Poet Bonde Ali was a school teacher in Calcutta until 1947. He was editor of the periodicals Bikash and Bhorer Alo. After partition (1947), the poet returned to the country and immersed himself in painting and writing. Later he was appointed at Rajshahi Radio Center in 1964 as a scriptwriter till his death in 1979.