Top News Desk: In remembrance of Humayun Azad, an extraordinary and multifaceted writer, critic, researcher, and educator from Bangladesh, we reflect upon his life and contributions. Azad stirred controversy since the 1980s with his bold expressions concerning religion, institutions, sexuality, fundamentalism, counter-reformation, feminism, and politics.
In 2004, his novel “Pak Sar Zamin Saad Baad” triggered considerable backlash as he openly criticized fundamentalist ideologies. Tragically, that same year, on the night of August 11, Humayun Azad passed away unexpectedly in Germany.
Born on April 28, 1947, in Kamargaon, Bikrampur, he initially bore the name Humayun Kabir. His journey in academia began on February 11, 1970, when he assumed the role of a lecturer in the Bangla Department at Chittagong University. Later that year, on December 12, he began his teaching career at Jahangirnagar University in the Bengali department.
In 1976, Humayun Azad earned his Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Joining Dhaka University in 1978 as an Associate Professor, he eventually ascended to Department Chairman. In 1986, he achieved the rank of professor. In 2004, he pursued a research scholarship centered on the German poet Heinrich Heine, which led him to Germany.
Azad’s literary legacy encompasses over 60 publications, including 7 volumes of poetry, 22 critical works, 12 novels, 8 pieces of juvenile literature, 7 collections of linguistic insights, and various essays. His impact on literature was recognized with the Bangla Academy Award in 1986. Even posthumously, his contributions endured, earning him the Ekushey Padak in 2012 for his comprehensive literary oeuvre and his distinct contributions to linguistics.
Report by: Habiba Sultana
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