Akhteruzzaman Elias (; 12 February 1943 – 4 January 1997) distinguished himself as a Bangladeshi novelist and short story writer. Despite his relatively limited output of two novels, critical evaluation positions Elias prominently "in the pantheon of great Bengali novelists". Elias ascended to prominence as a potent short-story writer during the 1960s. His inaugural novel, ', was published in 1987, followed by his second and final work, ', in 1996, shortly before his demise due to cancer on 4 January 1997.

Early life and education

Elias was born at the home of his maternal uncle in Gotia village within the Gaibandha District. The ancestral abode of Elias was situated in Chelopara, proximate to

Bogra Bogra (), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, officially Bogura, is a city located in Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh. The city is a major commercial hub in North Bengal, Northern Bangladesh. It is the second largest city in te ...

. His father, Badiuzzaman Muhammad Elias, held the position of a member in the East Bengal Provincial Assembly and served as the parliamentary secretary of the Muslim League. Elias' mother was Mariam Elias. Elias completed his Matriculation from Bogra Zilla School in 1958, proceeded to attain his Intermediate qualification from

Dhaka College Dhaka College (), informally known as DC, is a public educational institution of Bangladesh located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in the subcontinent. It offers Honours degree, honours and Master's degree ...

in 1960, and culminated his academic pursuits with a BA (Hons) and MA from the

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public university, public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country. The University of Dhaka w ...

in 1964.

Career

Elias started his career as a lecturer at Jagannath College, maintaining this position until 1983. Subsequently, he assumed various roles including deputy director at the Directorate of Primary Education, vice-principal at Music College, and professor as well as head of the Department of Bengali at Dhaka College.

Death

On 13 January 1996, Elias was diagnosised with cancer. The belated recognition of the ailment contributed to the deterioration of his health. Subsequently, on 20 March of the same year, due to the cancer's impact, his right leg necessitated amputation. Enduring several days of distress, he ultimately succumbed on 4 January 1997, at Dhaka Community Hospital in Dhaka.

Works

Elias is noted for prioritizing the quality, rather than the quantity, of his literary productions. His oeuvre encompasses themes that delve into the historical, cultural, political, economic, impoverished, exploitative, and deprived facets of the nation. It is asserted that he endeavored to comprehend the entirety of human existence through the exploration of these themes. Elias has garnered commendation for his adept portrayal of nuanced psychological inclinations. The following enumerates his noteworthy literary contributions. Novels * ''Chilekothar Sepai /চিলেকোঠার সেপাই'' (The Soldier in the Attic) (1987) - details the psychological journey of a man during the turbulent period of the mass uprisings of 1969, just prior to Bangladeshi independence in 1971. This novel also contains what is arguably the most authentic description of life in ''Puran Dhaka'', the old and distinctive part of Dhaka. * ''Khoabnama/খোয়াবনামা'' (The Saga of Dreams) (1996) - Khoabnama depicts the socio-political scene in rural pre- partition Bangladesh. Short story collections * ''Dojokher Om/ দোজখের ওম'' (The Warmth of Hell) * ''Dudhbhate Utpat/'' ''দুধভাতে উৎপাত'' (No Peace in Milk and Rice) * ''Onno Ghore Onno Shor/ অন্য ঘরে অন্য স্বর'' (Another Tune in Another Room) * ''Khoari/ খোয়ারি'' (Hangover) * ''Jal Shopno, Shopner Jal/ জাল স্বপ্ন, স্বপ্নের জাল'' (Fake Dream, Illusion of Dream) Essay collections * ''Shongskritir Bhanga Shetu/ সংস্কৃতির ভাঙা সেতু'' (Broken Bridge of Culture) ''Niruddesh Jatra'' is a short film directed by Debashis Doob, based on the short story under the same name wrriten by Akhtaruzzaman.

Awards

* 1977: Humayun Kabir Smrti Puraskar * 1983:

Bangla Academy Literary Award The Bangla Academy Literary Award (; ''Bangla Academy Shahitya Puroshkar'') is given by the Bangla Academy of Bangladesh in recognition of creative genius in advancement and overall contribution in the field of Bengali language and literature. ...

in Literature * 1987: Alaol Sahitya Puraskar - ''Chilekothar Sepai'' * 1996:

Ananda Puraskar The Ananda Puraskar () is an award for Bengali literature awarded annually by the ABP Group to writers using Bengali language, Bengali, usually from West Bengal, India. History The award can be traced to a comment by Annada Shankar Ray ruing the ...

- ''Khwabnama'' * 1996: Saadat Ali Akhand Puraskar - ''Khwabnama'' * 1996: Kazi Mahbubullah Gold Medal - ''Khwabnama'' * 1999:

Ekushey Padak Ekushey Padak () is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of martyrs of the Bengali language movement of 1952. The award is given to recognize contributions in a number of fields, including culture, education, and e ...

(posthumous)

References

External links

Akhtaruzzaman Elias Intermingles Dreams, Myths and Realities
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elias, Akhteruzzaman Bengali-language novelists Bangladeshi male novelists 1943 births 1997 deaths Academic staff of Dhaka College Dhaka College alumni University of Dhaka alumni Recipients of Bangla Academy Award Recipients of the Ekushey Padak 20th-century Bangladeshi novelists People from Bogra District 20th-century Bangladeshi male writers People from Gaibandha District Magic realism writers Bogra Zilla School alumni