Fakrul Alam
Encyclopedia
Dr Fakrul Alam is a Bangladesh
i academic, writer and translator. He is a professor of English at the University of Dhaka
and has written widely on literary matters and postcolonial issues. He also acts as an advisor at the Department of English of East West University
. As one of the leading academics of the country, Professor Alam has earned widespread recognition for his works on South Asian and postcolonial writing. Among his publications are book-length studies of Daniel Defoe and Bharati Mukherjee.
Alam is perhaps best known for his translation of Jibanananda Das
, the great Bengali poet. Earlier translators, most notably Chidananda Dasgupta
and Clinton B. Seely
, had tried to convey the elusive quality of Das's poetry to an Anglophone
audience. When Alam's volume Jibanananda Das: Selected Poems came out in 1999 on the occasion of the poet's birth centenary, it was greeted with widespread acclaim. The book has proved to be popular with readers since then. The first edition having sold out, a second, expanded edition was published in 2003. Alam's work is now regarded as perhaps the best (and certainly the most wide-ranging) translation of Das in the English language. Although it is very difficult to maintain rhyme, meter, figure of speech etc. when translating, Professor Alam enjoys that sweet pain!
Recently Dr. Alam has edited an anthology of Rabindranath Tagore
's works in collaboration with Radha Chakravarthy to mark the 150th anniversary of Tagore’s birth. This ambitious collection published by Harvard University Press
is the largest single volume of Tagore's work available in English.
Dr. Alam started teaching at the University of Dhaka after the Liberation War of Bangladesh
in 1971 where he is a Professor now; also taught at Clemson University, USA, and University of Viswa Varati, India as Associate Professor and Visiting Professor, respectively. Much later, he joined East West University, Bangladesh as an Adjunct Faculty and still teaches there besides the University of Dhaka. As for education, he earned his PhD from the University of British Columbia, Canada; an MA from Simon Fraser University, Canada; also has BA and MA in English Literature from the University of Dhaka. For him, "teaching is fun." He likes "going into the classes" more than anything else.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i academic, writer and translator. He is a professor of English at the University of Dhaka
University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka is the oldest university in Bangladesh. It is a multi-disciplinary research university and is among the top universities in the region. Established on July 21, 1921, as per the Government of India Act, 1920, it was modelled on the Universities in England and soon gained...
and has written widely on literary matters and postcolonial issues. He also acts as an advisor at the Department of English of East West University
East West University
East West University is a private university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 1996 by the Private University Act, 1992 by Dr. Mohammed Farashuddin...
. As one of the leading academics of the country, Professor Alam has earned widespread recognition for his works on South Asian and postcolonial writing. Among his publications are book-length studies of Daniel Defoe and Bharati Mukherjee.
Alam is perhaps best known for his translation of Jibanananda Das
Jibanananda Das
Jibanananda Das was a noted Bengali poet. He is considered one of the precursors who introduced modernist poetry to Bengali Literature, at a period when it was influenced by Rabindranath Tagore's Romantic poetry....
, the great Bengali poet. Earlier translators, most notably Chidananda Dasgupta
Chidananda Dasgupta
Chidananda Das Gupta , , was a Bengali Indian filmmaker, a leading film critic, a film historian and one of the founders of Calcutta Film Society with Satyajit Ray in 1947...
and Clinton B. Seely
Clinton B. Seely
Clinton B. Seely ,Clinton B. Seely ,Clinton B. Seely ,(born 21 June 1941 is an American academic and translator, and a scholar of Bengali language and literature. He has translated the works of Ramprasad Sen and Michael Madhusudan Dutt and written a biography of Bengali poet Jibanananda Das. He has...
, had tried to convey the elusive quality of Das's poetry to an Anglophone
English-speaking world
The English-speaking world consists of those countries or regions that use the English language to one degree or another. For more information, please see:Lists:* List of countries by English-speaking population...
audience. When Alam's volume Jibanananda Das: Selected Poems came out in 1999 on the occasion of the poet's birth centenary, it was greeted with widespread acclaim. The book has proved to be popular with readers since then. The first edition having sold out, a second, expanded edition was published in 2003. Alam's work is now regarded as perhaps the best (and certainly the most wide-ranging) translation of Das in the English language. Although it is very difficult to maintain rhyme, meter, figure of speech etc. when translating, Professor Alam enjoys that sweet pain!
Recently Dr. Alam has edited an anthology of Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
's works in collaboration with Radha Chakravarthy to mark the 150th anniversary of Tagore’s birth. This ambitious collection published by Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Its current director is William P...
is the largest single volume of Tagore's work available in English.
Dr. Alam started teaching at the University of Dhaka after the Liberation War of Bangladesh
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
in 1971 where he is a Professor now; also taught at Clemson University, USA, and University of Viswa Varati, India as Associate Professor and Visiting Professor, respectively. Much later, he joined East West University, Bangladesh as an Adjunct Faculty and still teaches there besides the University of Dhaka. As for education, he earned his PhD from the University of British Columbia, Canada; an MA from Simon Fraser University, Canada; also has BA and MA in English Literature from the University of Dhaka. For him, "teaching is fun." He likes "going into the classes" more than anything else.