Mohammad Nurul Huda

Huda was born to Mohammad Sekander and Anjuman Ara Begum in Poak Khali of Cox's Bazar district, Bangladesh on 30 September 1949. After high school, he studied English Literature at the University of Dhaka and obtained his B. A. with Honors in 1970 and M. A. in 1972. He participated in training courses at the East West Centre, Hawaii. After graduation he taught English in a colleges for about five years and then at the Dhaka University for a brief period. His literary career commenced early and he emerged in the 1960s as a modern poet.

In 2007, after 34 years of service Huda retired as Director of Bangla Academy, Dhaka. Till date he works as the executive editor of the Bangla Academy Journal. At Bangla Academy, he worked as the Project Director at Young Writers' Project. He also served as the Executive Director of the Nazrul Institute, Dhaka. He was a Consultant of WIPO, Geneva. He teaches English in Darul Ihsan University, Dhaka. Also, he contributes a regular column entitled Sadakotha (tr. Plain Tales) on social, political and cultural aspects of contemporary Bangladesh. He is the President of the Bangladesh Writers' Club.

A leading prolific writer of the country with sizeable contribution in various branches of literature, Huda is best known as a poet. He is particularly acclaimed as jatisattar kobi meaning 'the poet of national identity'. A versatile writer, he is also widely known as an essayist, literary critic, translator, folklorist and IPR-specialist for copyright and traditional cultural expressions.

Huda has also published two novels that brought him fame of a fiction writer with a difference. His Jonmajati (tr. Birthrace) published in February 1994 is being acclaimed as 'an open-ended postmodern novel signalling a significantly newer turn in the world of Bangla fiction'. The novel is also remarkable for its discovery of a unique folk universe, the background being the Lusai hills and the vast coastal area with a rare geographical setting of sea and hills and plains. The theme of this novel revolves around the genesis of mankind, emphasising on the sexual behaviour of the primitive dwellers of this part of the world as well as re-examining both the Biblical theory and Darwin's proposition of man's coming to this earth.

Huda in 2007

Huda's translation of famous Turkish Poet Yunus Emre's poems in collaboration with Arshaduzzaman has been widely acclaimed at home and abroad. He has also translated Nazrul's famous poems entitled 'Kemal Pasha' and 'Wardrum' into English. He was decorated with state honour as an outstanding personality contributing to the promotion of Turkish-Bangladesh relations by S. Demirel, the President of Turkey during his Bangladesh visit marking the silver jubilee celebration of independence of Bangladesh on 25 March 1997.

The number of Huda's published titles (book-length) exceeds 100, of which 50 are poetry (including his selected poems, love poems, nationhood poems etc.), nine essays and literary criticisms, three novels, one biography, five translations and others that he has compiled and edited.

Huda with Nepali poet Suman Pokhrel and Bangladeshi poet Rahima Afrooz Munni during SAARC Festival of Literature - 2015 in Agra, India

Journals-Magazines edited and compiled by Huda are as follows:

• Poiema (1980) editor, poetry magazine in English
• Bangla Academy Patrika ( 1983–1992) executive editor
• Studies ( a bulletin on folklore from ICLCS, Dhaka, 1995) editor
• Kobita Club (little magazine, 1995), editor
• Nazrul Institute Patrika (from 1996 August to January 2001)
• Nazrul Institute Journal (from August 1997 to January 2001)
• Bangla Academy Journal (1983–2006 Sept.) executive editor

• Ekushey Padak Award (2015)
• Bangla Academy Literary Award (1988)
• Poet of International Merit (ISP, 1995)
• Poet of the Year nominated (ISP, Maryland, US, 1995)
• President's Honor from Turkey (1996)
• Mahadiganta Poetry Award (Calcutta), 2007
• Jessore Sahitya Parishad Award (1983)
• Abul Hasan Poetry Prize (1983)
• Alaol Award (1985)
• Awami Shilpa Sangbardhana (1987)
• Cox's Bazar Medal (1989)

More than 100 titles in total to his credit as of February 2007. Some English titles are -

1. Selected Poems (poetry)
2. Flaming Flowers : Poets' Response to the Emergence of Bangladesh
3. Nazrul : an Evaluation (edited essays),
4. Poetry of Kazi Nazrul Islam in English Translation (translated and edited with an introduction and notes),
5. Nazrul's Aesthetics and Other Aspects (essays),
6. In Blissful Hell (translation).
7. edding and Wild Kite]] (translation), Bangla Academy Journal (edited)
8. Poiema (edited). Nazrul Institute Journal (edited).
9. Methodology : Valuation of Identified TECs of Bangladesh
10. Traditional Cultural Expressions (manuscript: 2006)

Poetry

He has published as many as fifty poetry books to his credit till February 2007 as listed below:

1. Shonite Somudropath (1972)
2. Amar Soshotro Shobdobahini (1975)
3. Shobhajatra Dravidar Proti (1975)
4. Ognimoyee He Mrinmoyee (1980)
5. Amra Tamate Jati (1981)
6. Shukla Shakuntala (1983)
7. Jesus Mujib (1984)
8. Nirbachito Kobita (1985) selected poems in Bengali
9. Honolulu O Onyananyo Kabita (1987)
10. Kusumer Phona (1988)
11. Baro Bochorer Golpo (1988)
12. Ek Jonome Lokkho Jonmo (1988)
13. Galiber Kache Khomaparthonapurbok (1989)
14. Ami Jodi Jolodas Tumi Jolodashi (1990)
15. Priyankar Jonyo Pongtimala (1992)
16. Jatisottar Kobita ( 1992) poems on nationhood
17. Yunus Emrer Kobita (1992) translations
18. Orokkhito Somoy (1993)
19. Telapoka (1993) rhymes
20. Bhindeshi Premer Kobita (1993) translations
21. Bhalobasar Bukpokete (1994)
22. Digonter Khosa Bhenge (1994)
23. Premer Kobita (1994) love poems
24. Lesbian Clouds and Other Poems (1994)
25. Bangla Academy Choraye Bornomala (1994) rhymes,
26. Priyo Pangtimala (1995),
27. Amar Kopaleo Somoyer Bhaiphonta (1995),
28. Mouladhunik (1995),
29. Mujibbari (1996),
30. Amar Churanta Shobdo Bhalobasa (1998),
31. Dekha Hole Eka Hoye Jai (1998),
32. Sicorax (1999),
33. Adishto Hoyechhi Ami Dirgho Jagorone (1999),
34. Smiritiputra (1999),
35. Hazar Kobita (2000) One Thousand Poems collected,
36. Kabyo Somogra (2001) Collected Poems,
37. Darianogor Kabyo (2001),
38. Swadhinatar Chora (2001) rhymes,
39. Pakhir Chora (2001) rhymes,
40. Satbhai Chompa (2001) rhymes,
41. Rajar Poshak (2001) rhymes,
42. Chander Buro Chander Buri (2001) rhymes,
43. Byangkumar (2001) rhymes,
44. Selected Poems (2003),
45. Padmaparer Dheusoar (2004),
46. Sursomudro (2005),
47. Punyobangla (2005),
48. Quorankabyo (2005) (Translation of Ampara in verse),
49. Somoi Maranor Golpo (2006),
50. Ami Ekti Khas Prajapatra Chai (2007).

Essays, researches and narrative prose

1. Shortoheen Shorte (1981) essays on literature and aesthetics,
2. Lokkhon Songhita (1982) Homoeopathic Matera Medica,
3. Bhesojo Udbhid (1982),
4. Flaming Flowers : Poets' Response to the Emergence of Bangladesh (1994) essay,
5. Rabinroprokriti O Onyanya Probandha (1988) Essays on literature and aesthetics,
6. Sartre O Onyanya Prosongo (1993) literary essays,
7. Praner Minar Shahid Minar (1994) prose description for juvenile,
8. Srishtishilota O Onnanya (1999) essays,
9. Nazrul's Aesthetics and Other Aspects (2001) essays,
10. Nandonik Nazrul (2001) essays on Nazrul,
11. Monpoboner Nao (2005) travelogue,
12. Identification, Valuation and Intellectual Property Protection of Traditional Cultural Expressions of Bangladesh ( A draft report of about 500 pages submitted to WIPO, Genva in January 2005),
13. Methodology : Valuation of Identified TECs of Bangladesh. Trial pint 2006, Lokbangla, Dhaka.

Fiction, travelogue and prose

• Mohanobi (1983) biography for children,
• Jonmajati (1994) novel based on history and legends,
• Bastuhara (1994) a novel based on Flannery O'Connor's story,
• Moinpahar (1995) a novel based reality and legends,
• Chotoder Nazrul Jibani (2001) biography for children,
• Chotoder Rabindra Jibani (2001) biography for children,
• Chotoder Begum Rokya (2001) biography for children,
• Chotoder Jibanananda Das (2001) biography for children,
• Chotoder Michael Madhusudan Datta (2001) biography for children,
• Monpoboner Nao (2005) travelogue

Translation

1. Poribortaner Pothe (1972) essay,
2. Agamemnon (1987) drama,
3. In Blissful Hell (1993) novel,
4. Flannery O'Connorer Golpo (1997) stories,
5. Romeo Juliet (1998) Shakespeare's story retold,
6. Neel Somudrer Jhor (1998) Shakespeare's story retold,
7. Wedding and Wild Kite (2001),
8. Hason Raja (Subtitles of a film, 2001).

Books edited and compiled

1. Kobi Madhusudhan (1984) editor, collection of essays,
2. Kovita 1390 (1984) editor, collection of poetry,
3. Shahid Buddhijibi Sharane Kobitaguccha (1984) editor, collection of poetry,
4. Humayun Kabir Racanabali (1984) editor, collected works of Humayun Kabir,
5. Kobita 1391 (1985) editor, collection of poetry,
6. Abul Hasaner Ogronthito Kobita (1986) one of the three editors of Abul Hasan's poetry collection,
7. Bangladesher Nirbacita Kobita (1988) editor, Selected Poems from Bangladesh,
8. Homoeopathy Paribhasha (1989) one of the two compilers,
9. Kobita : GonoAndolan (1991) editor, collection of poetry,
10. Tales to Tell (1991) editor and compiler of a supplementary Reader in English for secondary level,
11. Stories for the Young (1991) editor and compiler of a supplementary Reader in English for secondary level,
12. Bangla Academy English-Bengali Dictionary (1993) a compiler,
13. Shotabdir Sreshtho Premer Pongkti (1995) editor, best love poems of the century,
14. Songkhipto Bangla Obhidhan (1995), a compiler of this dictionary,
15. Jatiya Prjaye Nazrul Janmabarshiki Udjapan Smarakgrantha 1996 (1996),
16. Nazrul : An Evaluation (1997),
17. Nazrul Sangeeter Swaralipi Sangkalan (1997),
18. Adi Rekordbhittik Nazrul Sangeeter Bani Sangkalan (1997),
19. Nazruler Nirbachito Prabandha (1997),
20. Nazruler Harano Ganer Khata (1997),
21. Poetry of Kazi Nazrul Islam in English Translation (1997)
22. Nazrul Barshapanji (1998, 1999),
23. Janmashatabarshe Nazrulke Nibedita Kabita (1999),
24. Nazruler Maktab Shahitya (2001),
25. Nazruler Langal (2001),
26. Shatabdir Shreshtho Premer Kabita (Love poems edited, 2005),
27. Religious Study (English translator) for Class VI and V (2006, Bangladesh Text Book Board).

Huda has been working on matters relating to intellectual property since last few years. On 12 December 2007 he presented a seminal work at the Top Level Forum on Intellectual Property organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO/OMPI), held in Geneva, Switzerland. The main focus of his paper was Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCE). He presented an estimation of the value of yearly transaction TCE in Bangladesh.