Today is the 20th anniversary of the death of poet, essayist and linguist Humayun Azad whose bold literary expressions and uncompromising position on progressivism made him a household name.
Born on April 28, 1947 at Rarhikhal in Munshiganj, Humayun Azad earned his BA and MA in Bangla literature from Dhaka University, and attained his PhD in linguistics from Edinburgh University.
Before he joined the Bangla department of Dhaka University as an associate professor in 1978, he worked as a lecturer at Chittagong University and Jahangirnagar University.
Azad鈥檚 first collection of poems titled Aloukik Istimar and first collection of essays titled Rabindra Prabandha: Rashtra O Samajchinta got published in 1973.
His literary works include 鈥楯walo Chitabagh鈥�, 鈥楢mi Benche Chhilam Anyader Samaye鈥�, 鈥楰aphane Mora Ashrubindu鈥�, 鈥楥hhappanna Hajar Bargamile鈥�, 鈥楽ab Kichhu Bhenge Pare鈥�, 鈥楴ari鈥�, 鈥楶ak Sar Jamin Saad Bad鈥�, 鈥楯adukarer Mrityu鈥�, 鈥楻ajnitibiggan鈥�, 鈥楰abi Athaba Dandita Apurush鈥�, 鈥楶hali Phali Kore Kata Chand鈥�, 鈥楽hrabaner Brishtite Raktajaba鈥�, 鈥楲al-Nil Dwipabali鈥�, 鈥楶huler Gandhe Ghum Ashe Na鈥�, 鈥楰ato Nadi Sarobar鈥�, 鈥楤ukpockete Jonakipoka鈥�, and 鈥楢ndhakare Gandharaj鈥�.
He penned three books on linguistics under the headers 鈥楤angla Bhashar Shatru-mitra鈥�, 鈥楶ro-nominalisation in Bengali鈥�, and 鈥楤akyatatwa鈥�. Besides, he edited books, including 鈥楤angla Bhasha鈥�, 鈥楢dhunik Bangla Kabita鈥�, 鈥楳uhammad Abdul Hye Rachanabali鈥� and 鈥楻abindranath Thakurer Pradhan Kabita鈥�.
On February 27, 2004, Azad sustained serious injuries when some assailants attacked and thwacked him indiscriminately at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair on Bangla Academy premises.
After the attack, he underwent treatment at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka for 22 days and then at a hospital in Bangkok for 48 days.
He was found dead in Germany鈥檚 Munich on August 12, 2004, nearly six months after the attack.
He went to Germany in 2004 after receiving a one-year research fellowship granted by German PEN authority.
Humayun Azad passed away in Munich on August 12, 2004.
