Syed Waliullah | |
|---|---|
 Waliullah in 1956 in Karachi | |
| Native name | সৈয়দ ওয়ালিউল্লাহ |
| Born | (1922-08-15)August 15, 1922 Chittagong, Bengal Presidency, British India |
| Died | October 10, 1971(1971-10-10) (aged 49) |
| Resting place | Meudon, France |
| Occupation | novelist, short story writer, playwright, news editor |
| Alma mater | Dhaka College Ananda Mohan College (1943) University of Calcutta |
| Notable works | Lalsalu |
| Notable awards | Ekushey Padak |
| Spouse | |
| Relatives | Syed Ahmadullah (father) |
| Website | |
| www | |
Syed Waliullah (August 15, 1922 – October 10, 1971) was a Bangladeshi novelist, short-story writer and playwright. He was notable for hisdebut novel,Lalsalu (translated in English with the title"Tree Without Roots"). He was awardedBangla Academy Literary Award (1961), Adamjee Prize (1965),Ekushey Padak (1984) andBangladesh National Film for Best Story (2001).
Waliullah was born on 15 August 1922 at Sholashahar inChittagong District to Nasim Ara Khatun and Syed Ahmadullah. His mother died when he was twelve. He has an elder brother, Syed Nasrullah. His father, Syed Ahmadullah, was a government officer. He was a district magistrate of British Raj period. Waliullah spent his childhood inMymensingh,Feni,Krishnanagar andKurigram. His notable novel,Lalsalu, was inspired by a shrine covered with red cloth that he would often pass when he lived in Mymensingh.[2]
Waliullah passed his matriculation examination in 1939 from Kurigram High School. He completed his IA fromDhaka College in 1941 and bachelor's fromAnanda Mohan College inMymensingh in 1943. He then moved toCalcutta to complete his master's in economics. But he couldn't complete his master's due to untimely demise of his father. He joinedThe Statesman newspaper and worked until 1947.[2][3]
In 1947, Waliullah moved from Calcutta toDhaka. He joinedRadio Pakistan. In 1950, he was transferred toKarachi. In 1951, he started serving as the press attaché at the Pakistan missions in New Delhi,Sydney,Jakarta and London. In 1960, he was appointed as the First Secretary at the Pakistan embassy in Paris. In 1967, he joined the UNESCO in Paris.
Waliullah is often considered the pioneer of existential analysis of the characters psyche in the literature of Bangladesh. The last two of his three novels, especiallyKando Nadi Kando (Cry, o river), (কাঁদো নদী কাঁদো) (1968), show his mastery in revealing the inner depths of his characters.[4]Chander Amaboshay (Dark moon) (চাঁদের অমাবস্যা ), (1964) was another famous novel of him.Nayanchara (নয়নচারা), (1946) andDui Tir O Anyanya Galpa (দুই তীর এবং অন্যান্য গল্প), (1965) are storybooks written by him.
Lalsalu tells the story of Majid, a poor man from a devoutMuslim background. Majid comes to a remote village. He declares an old grave to be theMazar that of aPir, covers it with the traditional red cloth used for mausoleums, and establishes his stronghold on the life of the people using the reflected power on him of the supposed saint. The novel shows his struggle with other religious figures trying to establish dominance, the undercurrent of pagan ideas among the people, and his own weaknesses.[5]
The novel was adapted to aTanvir Mokammel film withthe same title in 2001.
Waliullah met Anne Marie Thibaud (1929–1997), a French woman, in Sydney. They were married in 1955 and had two children, Simine and Iraj. He was a cousin ofJamal Nazrul Islam, a physicist and mathematician.[6]
Waliullah died inMeudon in Paris on October 10, 1971.
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