Hasan Hafizur Rahman A multi-dimensional personality

Hasan Hafizur Rahman was a poet, journalist and critic. He was born in 1932 at his maternal uncle's residence. His ancestral home was in the village of Kulkandi under Jamalpur district. He completed his BA and MA in Bangla Language and Literature in 1951 and 1955 respectively from the University of Dhaka.
April 1 marked the 30th death anniversary of the poet.
Rahman's had a full and diverse professional life. He began his career in 1952 as assistant editor of the weekly Begum. Subsequently he worked for Saogat, Ittehad, Dainik Bangla and others. In 1972, he was elected president of the editorial board of the Dainik Bangla. He was also a Professor of Bangla Language and Literature at Jagannath College, and worked at different missions of Bangladesh abroad.
Rahman started writing while still a student. In 1946, while studying at school, his first short story, “Asrubheja Path Chalte”, was published in the Saogat. In 1949, the Sonar Bangla published his first poem. During that time, he became associated with the Dhaka Progressive Writers and Artists Association. He actively took part in the Language Movement of 1952, inspired by which he wrote his famous poem “Amar Ekushey”. In 1953 the first compilation work on the Language Movement “Ekushey February”, was published under his editorship. He was an associate of Sikander Abu Zafar in editing the literary journal Samakal.
Rahman was involved with several socio-cultural movements. In 1954, he was elected literary secretary of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) and edited a monthly magazine Spectra. He was committed to Bengali nationalism and culture. In 1971 he took part in the Liberation War. He was a socially conscious writer, and his writings reflect the hopes, sufferings and protests of the masses.
Among his significant literary works are “Bangladesher Shadhinota Judhho: Dalilpatra”, “Bimukh Prantar”, “Arta Shabdabali”, “Shokarta Tarbari”, “Amar Bhetarer Bagh”, “Adhunik Kobi O Kabita”, “Sahitya Prasanga” and more.
The poet received several awards for his literary achievements. He died in 1983 at Moscow Central Clinical Hospital.

Compiled by Correspondent