Kazi Abdul Wadud

Kazi Abdul Wadud (Bengali: কাজী আবদুল ওদুদ) (26 April 1894 – 19 May 1970) was a Bengali author. He championed the Buddhir Mukti Andolon, which meant 'movement for the awakening of the intellect' in Bengali. The movement was launched in 1926 in Dhaka under the aegis of the Muslim Sahitya Samaj (Muslim Literary Society).^[1]

Life

Kazi Abdul Odud was born in 1894 at his mother's village Jagannathpur in the district of Nadia(now Kushtia). His father's name was Kazi Syed Hossain and his home is at the village Bagmara of the district Faridpur. Abdul's father, Kazi Sagiruddin, was a railway stationmaster.^[1]

Abdul Wadud began his schooling at the Jagannathpur Minor School.

In 1913 he passed entrance from Dhaka Collegiate School.

He passed B.A. from Presidency College, Calcutta in 1917.

In 1919 he got an M.A. in Economics from Calcutta University.

He was appointed a lecturer of Bengali at Dhaka Intermediate College in 1920.

He died in 1970 in Calcutta.

Literary career

"Abdul Wadud's most important contribution is perhaps his Vyavaharik Shavdakos (1953), a practical dictionary which analyzes Bangla words derived from Arabic, Persian and Turkish. It also includes words extensively used in Bengali Muslim society.

His other books reflect the width of his interests, and range from books on Islam to books on Indian and western literary figures. His books include Mir Paribar (1918), Naba Paryay (first part 1926, second part 1929), Rabindra Kavyapath (1927), Samaj O Sahitya (1934), Hindu Musalmaner Birodh (1935), Path O Bipath (1939), Ajkar Katha (1941), Kaviguru Goethe (first and second part, 1946), Nazrul Pratibha (1949), Svadhinata Diner Upahar (1951), Shashvata Banga (1951), Vyavaharik Shavdakos (1953), Banglar Jagaran (1956), Sharat Chandra O Tarpar (1961), Kaviguru Rabindranath (first part 1962, second part 1969), Hazrat Mohammad O Islam (1966) and Pabitra Quran (first part 1966, second part 1967), Creative Bengal (1950), Tagore's Role in the Reconstruction of Indian Thought." Source: BANGLAPEDIA 2006

Abdul also served as editor of Shikha, the journal of the Muslim Literary Society. He contributed articles to the journal. His articles were marked with characteristic liberal and pragmatic views. He was appointed to the editorship of Calcutta's Textbook Committee in 1940, a post he held until his retirement in July 1951.^[1]

Personality

Kazi Abdul Odud was a faithful muslim as well as a Bengali by heart. He didn't accept the state Pakistan from heart. He permanently moved to Calcutta after the birth of Pakistan and never visited East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) again.

Throughout his life he championed the freedom of thought.

Bibliography

Kazi Abdul Odud wrote many books. His books represent the diversity of his interest. A brief bibliography follows:

Essays

• Kabiguru Göethe ( vols. 1 & 2)
• Shashwata Banga

External links

References