Showkat Ali’s birth anniv today

Desk news:

Born in West Bengal in British India on February 12, 1936, Showkat Ali, in his first novel, Pingal Akash, portrayed the coarseness of the urban middle class, and its immoral craving for riches.

His Pradose Prakrtajan, based on the story of the life and struggle of the people of lowest socioeconomic stratum, is a unique addition to Bangla fiction.

Showkat Ali’s trilogy, Dakshinayaner Din, Kulay Kalasrot and Purbaratri Purbadin, which are on the basis of dreams and political aspirations of the Bengali people of the’60s, also earned him praise from readers. An award-winning film was made on his other creation titled Uttarer Khep, based on the War of Independence.

In the novel Warish, he depicted the British rule in the Indian subcontinent, the separation of India and Pakistan and the riot between the Hindus and the Muslims.

For his contribution to Bangla literature, the fiction writer received several awards, including the Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Literary Award, Humayun Kabir Memorial Award and Alaol Literary Award.

Showkat Ali passed away on January 25, 2018.