Quazi Johirul Islam

Quazi Johirul Islam (Bengali: কাজী জহিরুল ইসলাম) is a Bangladeshi travelogue writer and poet. He has published 26 books, including a collection of poems that has been translated into English and published in Yugoslavia, namely “After a Long Way” . Other notable books include: Kosovor Pothe Prantore (Bengali: কসোভোর পথে-প্রান্তরে, Here and there in Kosovo), Kakaoyer Deshe (In the country of Kakao), Jana-ojana Africa (Known and unknown Africa), Sristipuran O Onyanya Lokokotha (Creation myth and other folktales), Bihongoprobon (Bird-prone), Panchtola Barir Shidipoth (The staircase of a five storied building), Purush Prithivi (Masculine world). In 2015 Bangla Academy Bookfair (Bengali: একুশের বই মেলা) his collection of poems (Bengali: কবিতাসমগ্র) has been published by Bangla Prokash (Bengali: বাংলা প্রকাশ), the cover was designed by Dhrubo Esh.
Islam writes a Sunday column for Daily Amar Desh called "Aloi Bhubon Bhora". He was one of the people who introduced the idea of having national ID cards for all Bangladeshi people through the 21 January 2007 entry of his column "Doorer Janala" in Daily Naya Diganta. Islam described his experience how he was doing the similar job in Kosovo, while he was working under United Nations in 2000.
Islam is popular in Bangladesh, West Bengal, and areas around the globe where there are Bengali speaking people.

Quazi Johirul Islam with Al Mahmud, Nirmolendu Goon an Shomudro Gupto

Quazi Johirul Islam was born on 10 February 1968 in Khagatua, a village in the upazila of Nabinagar under the Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh. He grew up during the Bangladesh Liberation War, and his literary works reflect the growing of the new nation and a newly born middle class society in Dhaka city. His first work of fiction, 71 And, was written based his memories of the Bangladesh Liberation War. He lost his only paternal uncle Mr. Suruj Quazi in 1971. He studied in many different schools, including Govt Titumir College. He received a master's degree in Management from the University of Dhaka in 1992 after a break of study of two years. His father was an unsuccessful businessman; as a result, Islam was supposed to take over the financial responsibility of the family.

Islam is also an International UN Professional. Has worked for over 20 years with many different NGOs, UN Agencies and UN peacekeeping operations.

He married on 29 March 1996, while his wife was studying journalism at the University of Dhaka at the master’s level. Their first child, a son, was born after a year of their marriage on 28 April 1997. Seven years later, on 18 January 2004, their daughter, was born.

In his autobiography Bihongoprobon, Islam states that he wanted to be a prophet in his childhood but changed his mind after his house-tutor told him there is no way to be a prophet. He then decided to become a poet, which he considers to be close to a prophet.

Poems

• Purush Prithivi (পুরুষ পৃথিবী, Masculine World): This is his first book of poetry, for which he was awarded the Kabi Jasim Uddin Award along with poet Abdul Mannan Syed. It was published in 1998 by Kabi Jasim Uddin Parishad.
• Joler Michhil (জলের মিছিল, Procession of Water) is a 1998 joint poetry collection by 7 contemporary poets, including Quazi Johirul Islam. Seven of his poems were selected for this book.
• Panchtola Barir Shinripoth (পাঁচতলা বাড়ির সিঁড়িপথ , The staircase of a fifth storied house) is the third of Islam's poetry collections, published by Jolshinri in 2004.
• Ditiyo Ghashfoding (দ্বিতীয় ঘাসফড়িং, Second Grasshopper) is a collection of poems that was published in 1998 by Jolshinri Prokashoni.
• Ditiyobar Andha Howar Age (দ্বিতীয়বার অন্ধ হওয়ার আগে , Before getting blind second time) is a collection of poems published in 2007 by Ekushey Prokashoni.
• After a Long Way An anthology of translated English poems published in 2002 in Yugoslavia.
• Bhalobashar Swabda-gulmo (ভালবাসার শব্দগুল্ম, Shrubs of love) is a pocket book of 43 love poems, each of them four lines long. The book was published by Mudraj Publishers in 1999.
• Akasher Street-e Hante Digital Narod (আকাশের স্ট্রিটে হাঁটে ডিজিটাল নারদ, The digital devil is walking on the sky-street) was published by Osman Gani and Agami Prokashoni in 2007. It consists of 45 poems and depicts the Anglo-American economic colonization of Third World countries in the name of globalization.

Fiction

• Grohantorer Shukh (Happiness of other planet): Feminist fiction and narrative. The book was published in 2007 by Ekushey Prokashoni.
• Ekattur Ebang (71 And): A fiction based on the Bangladesh Liberation War, where 71 was revealed by the eye witness, a young boy that he carried out his entire life and which eventually became a barrier of his love in the youth. The book was published by the Pallab Publishers in 1997.
• Ekaki Nokshotro (A lonely Star): A fiction about middle-class life in Bangladesh, published by the Pallab publishers in 1997.

Travel stories

• Gojomotir Desh Ivory Coast (গজমোতির দেশ আইভরিকোস্ট): Published by Bangla Prokash in February 2011, the book discussed the culture, history, politics and social life of the Ivory Coast.
• Jana-Ojana Africa (জানা-অজানা আফ্রিকা, Known-Unknown Africa): Islam has travelled many countries in Africa and contributed his knowledge of African society, culture, economy and politics in various dailies, weeklies and other magazines in Bangladesh. Most of them were accumulated in this anthology.
• Kosovor Pothe Prantore (কসোভোর পথে-প্রান্তরে, Here and there in Kosovo): Islam lived and worked in Kosovo for 3 years (2000–2003), and in this book, he discusses his experience of Serbian-Albanian conflict and the root of it, the emerging culture and Western lifestyle of conservative Albanian society, and numerous anecdotes. The book was published by Ananya in 2006.
• Uralgadya (উড়ালগদ্য, Flying prose): A collection of prose written in various journals based on his travel experience in many countries. The book was published in 2007 by Ekushey Prokashoni.
• Pathakathan (পথকথন, Talks on the way): Travelogue published in 2006 by Bikshon and Viswayan publishers. West Bengal, India.
• Kakaoyer Deshe (কাকাওয়ের দেশে, The country of Kakao): "The country of Kakao" refers to the Ivory Coast, which exports 80% of the world's cacao. Although the book was named after the Ivory Coast, it also contains travel stories about other countries. Kakaoyer Deshe was published in February 2006.

Autobiographical fiction

• Bihongoprobon (বিহঙ্গপ্রবণ, Bird-prone): This book discusses the history, culture, social life of Bangladesh and the contemporary world from 1968 to 1978. The independence war of Bangladesh and contemporary world politics feature prominently, in the background the fall of Germany, suicide of Hitler, the Fall of Sheikh Mujib and the birth of a new political party, BNP from the Army Barrack, newly growing middle class society of Dhaka city and their lifestyle etc. Bihongoprobon published in 2007 by Ekushey Prokashoni, Dhaka.

Myths and folklore

• Sristipuran O Onyanya Lokokotha (Creation Myth and other Folktales): Consists mostly of firsthand information and some secondary information. Islam travelled across West Africa and spoke to elderly people to get to know the folktales and creation myths of various tribes of Africa. He then wrote them down and added his own imagination, creating a new book of fairy tales for Bengali-speaking people. The book was published by Scholars Publishers in 2007 while countrywide an NRB (Non-Resident Bangladeshi) Summit was organized at the Hotel Sheraton in Dhaka.

Short stories

• Jetuku Shomoi Tumi Thako Kachhe (Moments you are with me): A book of 8 short stories, his first publication, published in 1994 by Kakoli Prokashoni, Dhaka. One of the short stories from this book, "Nishi Nei Swapna Nei" ("There is no Nishi there is no dream"), has been made into a TV drama by two directors. The first time, it was directed by Redwan Roni and written by Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury. The drama was named "Sharmeyo" and was played on RTV on the Eid Ul Adha (2010) day at the prime time as a special drama. The second time, Faruk Chowdhury directed the TV drama "Nishi Nei Swapna Nei" in December 2010 for BTV based on same short story.

• Kabi Jasim Uddin Award 1999, Bangladesh
• Dr. Dinesh Chandra Sen Award 2008, India