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Osman, Shawkat (1917-1998) educationist, novelist, short
story writer, was born on 2 January 1917 in the district of Hughli, west
bengal.
His real name was Sheikh Azizur Rahman; Shawkat Osman was his
pen name. He passed MA in Bangla in 1941 from Calcutta University.
Earlier, in 1936, he worked briefly as a clerk in the calcutta
corporation. After completing his MA he taught at Government
Commercial College. He migrated to East Pakistan in 1947, in the
wake of partition, and joined Chittagong College of Commerce.
In 1959 he joined dhaka
college, from where he retired in 1972. He also worked
in the Krishak for some time.
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Shawkat Osman |
Though Shawkat Osman is mainly known as a novelist and
short story writer, he also wrote in a number of other genres such as
essays, plays, humorous writings, memoirs and books for children. His
popular novels include Janani (The Mother, 1958), Kritadaser
Hasi (The Laughter of a Slave, 1962), Samagam (The Gathering,
1967), Chaurasandhi (Friendship with Thieves, 1968), Raja Upakhyan
(Stories of Kings, 1971), Jahannam Haite Biday (Goodbye from Hell,
1971), Dui Sainik (Two Soldiers, 1973), Nekde Aranya (Wolves'
Forest, 1973), Patanga Pinjar (Insects' Cage, 1983), Artanad
(Yell, 1985), and Rajpurus (King's Men, 1992). Anthologies of stories
are Junu Apa O Anyanya Galpa (Sister Junu and Other Stories, 1952),
Manib O Tahar Kukur (The Master and His Dog, 1986), Ishvarer
Pratidvandvi (Contestant of God, 1990) etc. His essays have been collected
in Sangskrtir Chadai Utrai (Upheavals of Culture, 1985), Muslim
Manaser Rupantar (Changes in Muslim Thought, 1986), etc. He also wrote
a number of plays: Amlar Mamla (Suits by Bureaucrats, 1949), Purna
Svadhinata Churna Svadhinata (Total Independence Shattered Independence,
1990). His writings for children include Oten Saheber Banglo (Mr
Oten's Cottage, 1944), Mosquito Phone (Phone for Mosquitoes, 1957),
Ksude Socialist (The Little Socialist, 1973), Panchasangi
(The Five Companions, 1987). He was also a humorist, as for example, in
Nijasva Sangbaddata Prerita (Sent by the Staff Correspondent, 1982).
Janani and Kritadaser Hasi are his two
most well known books. Janani portrays the destruction of a family
because of friction between rural and urban life. Kritadaser Hasi
reveals dark episodes of political life and shows how autocrats torture
people. In Nekde Aranya, based on the war
of liberation, he depicts the oppressions of the Pakistan army
on the people of Bangladesh.
Shawkat Osman wrote some memoirs, among them Svajan Sanggram (Kinsman's Struggle, 1986), Kalratri Khandachitra (A Partial Picture of a Dangerous Night, 1986), Anek Kahan (Too Many Speeches, 1991), Goodbye Justice Masud (1993), Mujibnagar (1993), Astitver Sange Sanglap (Discussion with Existence, 1994), Sodarer Khonje Svadesher Sandhane (Look for Friends, 1995), and Maulabader Agun Niye Khela (Playing with the Fire of Fundamentalism, 1996). He also translated a large number of novels, short stories and plays into Bangla. Among some of his translated books are Nisho (1948-49), Luknitashi (1948), Bagdader Kavi (1953), Time Machine (1959), Panchti Kahini (Leo Tolstoy, 1959), Spainer Chhotagalpa (Short Stories of Spain, 1965) Panchti Natak (Five Plays, 1972), Dakdar Abdullahar Karkhana (Workshop of Doctor Abdullah, 1973), Prthibir Rangamanche Manus (People on the Stage of Earth stage, 1985), and Santaner Svikarokti (The Confession of a son, 1985).
Shawkat Osman was a staunch supporter of Bengali culture
and strongly protested against autocracy and religious fundamentalism.
Though he was not politically active, he was outspoken in his political
opinions. He received many awards from the government of Pakistan, among
them, the Bangla Academy Award (1962), Adamjee Literary Award (1966),
President Award (1967). He was also given a number of awards by the government
of Bangladesh: the Ekushey Padak (1983), Mahbubullah Foundation Prize
(1983), Muktadhara Literary Award (1991), and Independence Day Award (1997).
He died in Dhaka on 14 May 1998. [Syed Azizul Huq] |
