Poet of Muslim Renaissance

95th birth anniversary of poet Farrukh Ahmad

Farrukh Ahmad (1918–1974) was a poet and writer of Bangladesh. He is commonly known as the `Poet of Muslim Renaissance`, as many of his poems emblem the spirit of resurrection particularly in the hearts of the down-trodden Muslims of the then Bengal.

Farrukh Ahmad was born in the village of Majhail of Sreepur upazilla of Magura district. He was the second son of Syed Hatem Ali and Begum Rawshan. He graduated from Khulna Zila School in 1937 and did his IA from Ripon College, Kolkata in 1939. Then enrolled at the prestigious Scottish Church College to study BA (Hons) in Philosophy and English Literature, but was unable to his complete studies.

Farrukh Ahmed married his cousin Saieda Taieba Khatun in 1942. He started his professional life in Inspector General (IG) Prison Office in 1943. He worked for Civil Supply for a short time in 1944.

As a student, Farrukh Ahmed had been attracted to the radical humanism of Manabendra Nath Roy and had participated in leftist politics. From the forties, however, he supported the Pakistan movement to have an independent individual Muslim state created within the region of Indian Subcontinent from the British Indian empire. Despite his Pakistani and Islamic ideals, he supported the Language Movement in 1952 and, later, the liberation war of Bangladesh.

Immediately after the partition in 1947, Ahmad joined Radio Pakistan (now Bangladesh Betar), Dhaka and served as staff artiste till his death in 1974.
Literary works

His poems reflect the Arabic and Persian legacy in Bengal and are replete with Arabic and Persian words. He also wrote satirical poems and sonnets.

His books include Sat Sagorer Majhi (The Sailor of the seven seas), December, 1944, Sirazam Munira (September, 1952), Naufel O Hatem (June, 1961), Muhurter Kabita (A moment`s poem), September, 1963, Dholai kabbo, January, 1963, Hatemtayi (May, 1966), Habida Marur Kahini (September, 1981), Kafela (August, 1980), Sindabad (October, 1983) and Dilruba (February, 1994).

His books for children are: Pakhir Basa (The Nest of Bird)(1965), Harafer Chhada (1970), Chhadar Asar (1970), Fuler Jolsha (December, 1985)

Farrukh Ahmad received Bangla Academy Award (1960), President`s Award for Pride of Performance (1961), Adamjee Prize (1966), UNESCO Prize (1966), Ekushey Padak (posthumously, 1977), Independence Day Award (posthumously, 1980).