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Bande Ali Mia : Poet of the people

Mahbubul Haque : Bande Ali Mia (1906-1979) poet, novelist, playwright and writer of children's literature was born in the village of Radhanagar in Pabna district on 15 December 1906. He passed the Entrance examination (1923) from Majumder Academy in Pabna and studied painting (1927) at the Indian Art Academy in Kolkata. For some time he worked as a journalist in the magazine Islam Darshan, and then taught at a Calcutta Corporation school (1930-1950). He subsequently moved to the then East Pakistan, where he worked at the Dhaka and Rajshahi radio stations. Poet Bande Ali Mia wrote in a variety of genres such as poetry, novel, play, biography and children's literature. His noteworthy books include poetry anthologies, Mainamatir Char (1930), Anurag (1932), Padmanadir Char (1953), Madhumatir Char (1953), and Dharitri (1975); novels, Basanta Jagrata Dvare (1931), Shes Lagna (1941), Aranya Godhuli (1949), and Nidbhrasta (1958); an anthology of short stories, Taser Ghar (1954); a play, Masnad (1931); juvenile literature, Chor Jamai (1927), Meghkumari (1932), Bagher Ghare Ghoger Basa (1932), Sonar Harin (1939), Shiyal Panditer Pathshala (1956), Kunchbaran Kanya (1961), and Sat Rajyer Galpa (1977); and biographies, Kamal Ataturk (1937), Sharat Chandra and Chhotoder Nazrul (1958). A very productive poet and writer, he wrote 84 books, most of them have countryside background. He also edited Bikash and Bhorer Alo-two well known periodicals. The poet served at Rajshahi Radio Station. He was successful publisher too. Bande Ali Mia also worked as a Graphic Artist and Designer. For his contribution to children's literature he was awarded the Bangla Academy Prize (1962), President's Award (1965) and Uttara Sahitya Majlis Padak (1977). He died in Rajshahi on 17 June 1979. -Banglapedia 2006.