Khondakar Ashraf Hossain

Khondakar Ashraf Hossain খোন্দকার আশরাফ হোসেন
Khondakar Ashraf Hossain
Born	(1950-01-04)4 January 1950 Joynagar, Jamalpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Died	16 June 2013(2013-06-16) (aged 63)[1] Dhaka, Bangladesh
Resting place	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Occupation	Poet, Editor, Professor
Language	Bengali, English
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Citizenship	Bangladeshi
Education	MA (Linguistics and ELT) MA (English) PhD (English)
Alma mater	University of Dhaka

Khondakar Ashraf Hossain (Bengali: খোন্দকার আশরাফ হোসেন; 4 January 1950 – 16 June 2013) was a leading poet,^[2][3] essayist, translator and editor from Bangladesh. He wrote more than eighteen titles.

Professional and literary life

Hossain was born in Joynagar village in Jamalpur Sadar Upazila, Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 1950. He earned a B.A degree in English from the University of Dhaka in 1970, an M.A. degree in English from the University of Dhaka in 1971, and M.A.'s in Linguistics and ELT from the University of Leeds in 1981. He also obtained a PhD in English from the University of Dhaka and a postgraduate diploma in Teaching English Overseas from the University of Leeds in 1980.^[4] His doctoral thesis is entitled Modernism and Beyond: Western Influence on Bangladeshi Poetry.^[5] Dr Hossain was a professor and chairman of the Department of English at the University of Dhaka.^[6] He has published a number of collections of poetry and of essays in Bengali and English. About the readership of poetry, he says:

“

I am not at all concerned with the number of readers of poetry.[7]

”

Dr Hossain translates from Bengali to English and from German and English to Bengali. His poems have been translated into English, German, French, Telegu and Hindi.^[8] Dr. Hossain edits and publishes a literary magazine: Ekobingsho (English: The Twenty-First)^[9][10] which was founded by Hossain himself in 1985 with its main focus on the new poetry of Bangladesh. In May 2013 Hossain was appointed as the third vice-chancellor of Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University.^[11]

Theatrical Work

Khondakar Ashraf Hossain patronized a drama group called Nagorik since the seventies. Nagorik is one of Bangladesh's leading theatrical groups, for which Hossein served as both president and dramatist.^[12]

Critical reception

Hossain wrote a wide variety of poems in lucid language and with innovative and suggestive imagery.^[13] Expressiveness and eloquence in his poetry came from his successful, spontaneous combination of national and world heritage and mythology with his personal experience and feelings.^[14] Though he began to write when postmodernism was blooming fast in the west, he denies to identify himself as an avowed post-modernist.^[15] In his book On Behula's Raft's launch ceremony, he said about himself that "my soul is nourished by the alluvial soil and the moistures of riverine Bangladesh, which is my Behula".^[16] Fakrul Alam considered his poems "humorous and witty" in some cases.^[16] Syed Manzoorul Islam opined that Hossain at his initial stage was a romantic poet, but is now a realistic poet, as he is writing in a very self-conscious way.^[16] His love poems are characterised by stark realism rather than by romantic euphoria.^[13] Anisuzzaman deemed his poetry as the socio-political representation of Bangladesh.^[16] He explored not only the contemporary social and political condition of his country but also "the grounds of existential philosophy in conceiving human life as fragile yet undying, as self-destructive yet eternal".^[13] Dr. Hossain's poetry is noted for its engagement with philosophical concerns. For having some drishtantoist poems, he would be important in Bengali poetry.^[17]

Death

Khondakar Ashraf Hossain, died of a heart attack in Lab-aid hospital in the capital at 12 noon^[18] on 16 June 2013. He was undergoing treatment at Labaid Hospital, Dhaka since 14 June due to health complications. He suffered a major heart attack at 8:30 am and died around 11:00 am on 16 June.^[19] The ailing professor was being treated when he died at the age of 63.^[20]

Awards

• Alaol Literary Prize (1987) (for poetry)
• West Bengal Little Magazine Award (1998) (for editing)^[8]
• Jibananda Puraskar^[21]

Bibliography

Poetry

• Tin Ramanir Qasida
• Partho Tomar Teebro Teer
• Jibaner Saman Chumuk
• Sundari o Ghrinar Ghungur
• Jamuna Parba
• Janmo Baul
• Tomar Namey Brishti Namey
• Aiona Dekhey Andha Manush

Anthologies

• Nirbachito Kabita'
• Kabita Samgraha
• On Behula's Raft

Collections of essays

• Bangladesher Kabita: Antaranga Abalokan (A Study on Bangladeshi Poetry)
• Chirayata Puraan (Classical Mythology)
• Kabitar Antarjami
• Adhunik Uttaradhunik o Annyanya
• Prasango (Bengali Poetry in the contexts of Modernism, postmodernism and other trends)
• Bishwakabitar Sonali Shasya (Gleanings from World Poetry)
• Modernism and Beyond: Western Influences on Bangladeshi poetry

Prose

• Romantic and Modern: Latitudes and Longitudes of Poetry

Translations

• Selected Poems of Paul Celan (from German into Bengali)
• Folk Poems from Bangladesh (from Bengali into English)
• Folk Tales from Bangladesh (from Bengali into English)
• Elements of General Phonetics by David Abercrombie (into Bengali)
• Sophocles’ King Oedipus, Euripides’ Alcestis, Medea (into Bengali)
• Terry Eagleton’s Literary Theory: An Introduction (into Bengali)
• Edith Hamilton’s Mythology (into Bengali)
• Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
• Medea by Euripides
• Alcestis by Euripides

Editorial

• The Dhaka University Studies (Journal of the Faculty of Arts), Editor
• Ekobingsho (a poetry magazine), Editor
• Selected Poems of Nirmalendu Goon (Edited, with an introduction)
• The Bangla Academy English–Bengali Dictionary (Co-edited, with a note on pronunciation)
• An English Anthology (Co-edited, published by Department of English, Dhaka University)

See also

• List of Bangladesh-related topics

References

External links

• Khondakar Ashraf Hossain on PoemHunter.Com

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