Shahid Qadri

Apurba Jahangir

Photos: internet

This week, we have lost one of our finest -- a person whose poems started a new revolution in terms of urban poetry. His resolute verses gave poetry lovers a new admiration for love and romance. While urban poetry was mostly confined to city life, he revealed himself as a romantic- writing about love and affection—infused with patriotism and cosmopolitanism. Only with four published books, his contribution to Bangla poetry will forever be remembered. Though he was living on a hiatus in New York, Shahid Qadri once said that writers and artists never forget their roots, no matter where they are. After years of fighting with kidney disease, Shahid Qadri died on August 28, 2016. 

In 1942 Shahid Qadri was born in Kolkata. His childhood followed a typical Eng-Bong lifestyle, enjoying cowboy movies and having ice creams on weekends. As a child, Qadri witnessed the Hindu- Muslim Riot that occurred during the partition of India. His experience later made him write verses such as Ekta Meye Khopay Tar Komol Lal Golap, Churite Bedha Kolkatar Shanano Footpath. In 1952, Qadri, with his mother, came to settle down in Dhaka. 

Around 1950, Dhaka started to turn its way around from the quiet city it was. During that time significant number of young writers and poets began to rise— writing about city dilemmas. Shahid Qadri quickly became one of the significant figures in that group.  When he was only 14 year old, his work got first published in Kabita, a literary journal edited by Buddhadeb Bosu, a major poet of the 30's. 

His young bohemian look along with his urban-centric creations helped him become an iconic poet. Qardri's poems used to be very progressive and he would use very modern and expressive language, something that was, a rare feat in our poetry during that time, he believed. In 1967 Qadri published his first book titled Uttaradhikar. After its success, Qadri wrote his famous book Tomake Abhibhadon Priyotoma, which is his most famous and considered to be his best work. His other books include Kothayo Kono Krondon Nai and Amar Chombongullo Pouchhaya Deo.

Qadri was known for his addabaji. It was him along with Samsur Rahman who popularised the famous rendezvous of writers and poets in Beauty Boarding. Both of them were regulars in the boarding and aspiring writers from all over used to come there just to chat with these two icons. Famous poets and writers like Belal Chowdhury, Akhtaruzzaman Ilias, Rafiq Azad used to join them in those sessions. For his poetry, he was awarded the Bangla Academy Award in 1973 and Ekushe Padak in 2011. 

After his third book, Shahid Qadri left for United Kingdom, leaving his poetry and loving city behind. Qadri was not quite thrilled about leaving though. It is said that he was hurt by some of his loved ones which led to his somewhat hiatus. For years he did not pick up the pen, until recently, just before his death he started writing poems for the literary magazine Kali O Kolom. 

In an interview when he was asked what he regrets the most Qadri said, "It was leaving Bangladesh in 1978. No one should leave their motherland, especially artists. Yes, there are exceptions but we have to start from scratch. We are constantly reminded of our country and what we see here comes nowhere close to our imagination." 

Poets like Shahid Qadri are rare. His contribution to Bengali literature will forever be remembered.