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Life And Political Reality: Two Novellas
Born in 1953 in Old Dhaka, Shahidul Zahir published only six works in his short life – but these are some of the most unique and powerful works of fiction to have come out of the subcontinent. With his own particular blend of surrealism, folklore, oral storytelling traditions, magic realism, a searing understanding of social and political reality, and rare clarity of vision, he created a truly extraordinary oeuvre.
Life and Political Reality is the work that established his reputation and granted him cult status in Bangladesh. It examines the 1971 war and its aftermath; a treatise on liberation, and the destruction of the idealism and spirit of post-war Bangladesh, told in a single, corrosive, stream-of-consciousness paragraph.
Abu Ibrahim’s Death is a quieter companion novella, but one that is equally concerned with idealism and compromise, as it studies with deep empathy and nuance the fall of its titular protagonist.
Together, these two novellas make for a superb introduction to a truly brilliant shooting star in the literary firmament of Bangladesh and the world.
Life and Political Reality is the work that established his reputation and granted him cult status in Bangladesh. It examines the 1971 war and its aftermath; a treatise on liberation, and the destruction of the idealism and spirit of post-war Bangladesh, told in a single, corrosive, stream-of-consciousness paragraph.
Abu Ibrahim’s Death is a quieter companion novella, but one that is equally concerned with idealism and compromise, as it studies with deep empathy and nuance the fall of its titular protagonist.
Together, these two novellas make for a superb introduction to a truly brilliant shooting star in the literary firmament of Bangladesh and the world.
- GenresFictionBangladeshNovels
204 pages, Paperback
Published February 22, 2022
About the author
Shahidul Jahir
18 books183 followersShahidul Jahir (also spelled Zahir) was a Bangladeshi novelist and short story writer. He was reputed for extraordinary prose style and diciton and considered a genuine founder of post-modern fiction in Bangla literature.
Born in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 1953 as Shahidul Huq, he joined the Bangladesh Civil Service in the Administrative cadre in 1981. In 2008, he was appointed as a Secretary in Charge of Ministry of CHT affairs to the Government of Bangladesh. A confirmed bachelor, he lived a quiet and a very simple life. Hardly he agreed for a formal interview for publication.
Shahidul Jahir was one of the most important contemporary writers in Bangladesh. He became interested in magic realism after reading Marquez's works. He was known to some people as the Márquez of Bangladesh, carrying on the legacy of magic-realism with strokes of his own unique surrealist style, deeply imbibing the politics, history and culture of Bangladesh, his own country home in Sirajganj and his place of birth. However, his style also reminds of Syed Waliullah, a modern Bangla fiction author of Western lineage. But he had his own style of labyrinthine narration that would lead his readers to a maze. He relied more on narration than dialogue between characters. His diction was symbolic and mystified. He resorted to colloquialism in order to infuse reality into the context and story-line. The name of his last published story was, "Miracle of Life". Here is an excerpt (translated from Bangla) from his swan song:
In his writing career spreading over more than two decades, Jahir published only three novels and three collections of short stories. Two collections of his selected novels and short stories were published in 2007.
Born in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 1953 as Shahidul Huq, he joined the Bangladesh Civil Service in the Administrative cadre in 1981. In 2008, he was appointed as a Secretary in Charge of Ministry of CHT affairs to the Government of Bangladesh. A confirmed bachelor, he lived a quiet and a very simple life. Hardly he agreed for a formal interview for publication.
Shahidul Jahir was one of the most important contemporary writers in Bangladesh. He became interested in magic realism after reading Marquez's works. He was known to some people as the Márquez of Bangladesh, carrying on the legacy of magic-realism with strokes of his own unique surrealist style, deeply imbibing the politics, history and culture of Bangladesh, his own country home in Sirajganj and his place of birth. However, his style also reminds of Syed Waliullah, a modern Bangla fiction author of Western lineage. But he had his own style of labyrinthine narration that would lead his readers to a maze. He relied more on narration than dialogue between characters. His diction was symbolic and mystified. He resorted to colloquialism in order to infuse reality into the context and story-line. The name of his last published story was, "Miracle of Life". Here is an excerpt (translated from Bangla) from his swan song:
"An adolescent girl, or a young girl, or who is just a gal...whatever, what do we do with her? She can have a name, since she is a human being, and human beings do have names, so her name could be Pari, Banu, or Ayesha... ...If she stands at the edge of the dirty drains, standing inside her home, as broke as the ragged nest of a magpie (babui), her mother runs around...her mother goes around cooking for others, she cooks rice, she cooks curries,she makes chapatis, there are people who swallow them, or maybe they rebuke her, What the hell have you cooked,woman!... ...Perhaps at that moment, Pari or Pari Banu, is standing at the rail ways of Dayaganj or Shamibag, holding the hands of her little sister or brother, and their father runs around, he too goes to places, maybe he does things, pulls someone else's rickshaw, pushes someone else's cart, or maybe he does nothing, he just lies down on his bed and suffers from piles. Then, what do we do with this Pari? The leader, or the official of this republic, the officers, or the civil society - none of them know...We have no idea what to do with her..."
In his writing career spreading over more than two decades, Jahir published only three novels and three collections of short stories. Two collections of his selected novels and short stories were published in 2007.
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June 23, 2025
- 📜 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀?
🇧🇩 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 (𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨’𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤): As history keeps repeating itself in our political sphare, can we see the story of 1985 repeating in 2025? To find your answer, read the 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 section.
📖 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤: জীবন ও রাজনৈতিক বাস্তবতা (Jibon O Rajnoitik Bastobota / Life and Political Reality)
✍️ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: শহীদুল জহির (Shahidul Jahir / Shahidul Zahir)
📚 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Classic Novel | Political Fiction | Literary Realism | Social Commentary
📅 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: First published by হাক্কানী পাবলিশার্স/ Hakkani Publishers in 1987. My copy is published on October 2024 by মাওলা ব্রাদার্স / Mowla Brothers
🌐 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: “Life and Political Reality” by Samhati Prakashan/ সংহতি প্রকাশন (Jan 2020), translated by Shahroza Nahrin & V. Ramaswamy
⭐ 𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑙 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑦, 𝑖𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑒𝑡, 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛—𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑒𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑜𝑟.
Ω 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: A normal day in 1985 Dhaka: Abdul Majid's sandal snaps, abruptly pulling him back 15 years to Bangladesh’s Liberation War. He relives the horror of his sister Momena being taken by a local war criminal (I consciously choose not to romanticize them with historical labels like ‘Razakar’ or ‘Al-Badr’ or 'Al-Shams'. They were war criminals. Nothing more.) led by Bodu Maulana, a so-called religious figure who helped the Pakistani army’s genocide in 1971 against East Pakistan. Majid tried to save her. He couldn’t. The war ended-a new nation named Bangladesh emerged in the world map. Bodu escaped to Pakistan only to come back after a mere two years-unpunished, welcomed, protected. As Bodu Maulana's influence grows, Majid—who named his daughter Momena in poignant memory of his sister—finds his very existence threatened. This ultimately forces him to abandon his beloved home, a heartbreaking testament to political reality's crushing weight on individual lives. Shahidul Jahir powerfully reveals how society, often unknowingly, enables such dark forces, a truth that still echoes.
💭 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: I picked this up expecting a political novella. What I found was a painful personal history—one that mirrors the collective trauma of post-1971 Bangladesh. Shahidul Jahir doesn’t shout; his words whisper. His sentences flow like confessions—long, poetic, breathless. His characters don’t scream for justice; they simply remember what the rest of the country tries to forget. There are no heroes here. Only survivors. And that’s what made it hit so hard. After being enchanted by "সে রাতে পূর্ণিমা ছিল/ Se Rate Purnima Chilo," I approached this earlier work with curiosity about Jahir's evolution, only to find myself staring into a mirror reflecting Bangladesh's cyclical political tragedies with horrifying clarity.
This isn’t a sprawling historical epic filled with grand pronouncements; instead, it’s a meticulously crafted mosaic of human experience, where every fragment—a casual conversation, a forgotten memory, a fleeting glance—illuminates the larger political currents shaping a nation. Jahir’s prose here is more grounded than his later magical realist novels, yet it retains that hypnotic quality that makes us feel like we're experiencing events rather than reading about them. He transports us to the raw, visceral reality of 1970s Bangladesh—a period brimming with liberation’s euphoria and disillusionment’s bitter taste. Jahir doesn't preach; he shows, introducing ordinary people swept up in extraordinary circumstances. We witness their struggles, small acts of defiance, compromises, and unwavering hope, all against political turmoil. It’s as if Jahir takes a scalpel to a nation's collective psyche, exposing the intricate veins where life and political reality flow, inextricably intertwined.
What sets Jahir apart, and shines through brilliantly, is his unparalleled prose. His sentences are not mere conveyances of information; they are living entities, sometimes meandering like a river, sometimes striking with lightning force. He stretches moments, dissects emotions, and presents observations with poetic precision, feeling both intimate and universal. Even with heavy subject matter—the aftermath of war, political assassinations, societal decay—his narrative voice retains a hypnotic quality, pulling you deeper. Reading this book felt like walking through a bustling, vibrant, yet wounded Dhaka, catching snippets of conversations, witnessing silent battles, and feeling the pulse of a nation finding its footing. Jahir’s non-linear narrative, while potentially disorienting, makes the story deeply immersive, mirroring memory's fragmented nature and how history is recalled in flashes. These subtle shifts, weaving personal anecdotes with broader historical events, make the political profoundly personal, and the personal universally significant.
However, the book's density can be overwhelming. Jahir packs this outwardly simple yet complex political and social commentary into relatively few pages, sometimes making them gasp for breath. There were characters I wanted more time with, political situations deserving deeper exploration. The fragmented structure, while thematically appropriate, occasionally distanced me emotionally from certain narratives just as I was beginning to connect.
Anyway, while researching about the book, I came across an intriguing interview where Shahidul Jahir revealed that the political climate of mid-1980s Bangladesh and the 1987 publication of "একাত্তরের ঘাতক ও দালালরা কে কোথায়" by the "Ekattorer Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee" (Committee for Eradicating the Killers and Collaborators of '71) inspired him to write this novel. He also mentioned that the use of magical realism in Jibon O Rajnoitik Bastobota was influenced by Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967). And once you begin reading—you can feel both the rage of history and the haze of fiction dripping through the cracks of this deceptively slim novel. The novel’s portrayal of war criminals not only returning but thriving politically, even with the tacit or explicit support of those who fought for freedom, is a narrative that, tragically, resonates with chilling precision today.
𝗔𝘀 𝗜 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, just four weeks after the Supreme Court's acquittal and subsequent release of ATM Azharul Islam—a man previously sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during our 1971 Liberation War —the novel’s 1985 story feels agonizingly current. This development undeniably echoes the very themes Jahir so starkly portrayed: the rehabilitation and empowerment of collaborators in post-war Bangladesh. As someone who supported the July 2024 movement with hope, this reality feels like betrayal. The pain, the sense of betrayal, the questioning of justice that saturates "জীবন ও রাজনৈতিক বাস্তবতা" feels acutely present to the sufferers and to the civic population. It forces us to confront whether the lessons of the past have truly been learned, or if we are, in fact, trapped in a cyclical narrative where the wounds of history are reopened again and again. The novel’s characters, grappling with a past that refuses to stay buried and a present shaped by uncomfortable compromises, mirror our contemporary reality with haunting accuracy. It's a stark reminder that Jahir's work is not just historical fiction; it's a living, breathing commentary on our present. And I guess, this answers the question I asked at the beginning of this writing.
Ultimately, "জীবন ও রাজনৈতিক বাস্তবতা" is not a comfortable read, but a profoundly necessary one. It challenges us to confront power's uncomfortable truths, human nature's complexities, and history's lasting impact. Yet, amidst the bleakness, a profound resilience shines through, a testament to the human spirit's capacity to endure. It's a powerful reminder that history is shaped not just by grand movements, but by the everyday decisions and struggles of ordinary men and women. Shahidul Jahir has gifted us another masterpiece—a powerful, poignant, and insightful novel that solidifies his place as one of Bengali literature's most vital voices. It demands to be read, discussed, and reread, offering new layers of understanding with each encounter. If you seek a book that makes you think, feel, and reflect on the intricate dance between individual lives and the broader political landscape, pick this one up. You won't regret it.
⁉️ 𝐐𝐎𝐓𝐃: Name a book that made you see the world, or your own country's history, in a completely new light. Tell me about that transformative reading experience 💬!
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🇧🇩 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 (𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨’𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤): As history keeps repeating itself in our political sphare, can we see the story of 1985 repeating in 2025? To find your answer, read the 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 section.
📖 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤: জীবন ও রাজনৈতিক বাস্তবতা (Jibon O Rajnoitik Bastobota / Life and Political Reality)
✍️ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: শহীদুল জহির (Shahidul Jahir / Shahidul Zahir)
📚 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Classic Novel | Political Fiction | Literary Realism | Social Commentary
📅 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: First published by হাক্কানী পাবলিশার্স/ Hakkani Publishers in 1987. My copy is published on October 2024 by মাওলা ব্রাদার্স / Mowla Brothers
🌐 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: “Life and Political Reality” by Samhati Prakashan/ সংহতি প্রকাশন (Jan 2020), translated by Shahroza Nahrin & V. Ramaswamy
⭐ 𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑙 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑦, 𝑖𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑒𝑡, 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛—𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑒𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑜𝑟.
Ω 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: A normal day in 1985 Dhaka: Abdul Majid's sandal snaps, abruptly pulling him back 15 years to Bangladesh’s Liberation War. He relives the horror of his sister Momena being taken by a local war criminal (I consciously choose not to romanticize them with historical labels like ‘Razakar’ or ‘Al-Badr’ or 'Al-Shams'. They were war criminals. Nothing more.) led by Bodu Maulana, a so-called religious figure who helped the Pakistani army’s genocide in 1971 against East Pakistan. Majid tried to save her. He couldn’t. The war ended-a new nation named Bangladesh emerged in the world map. Bodu escaped to Pakistan only to come back after a mere two years-unpunished, welcomed, protected. As Bodu Maulana's influence grows, Majid—who named his daughter Momena in poignant memory of his sister—finds his very existence threatened. This ultimately forces him to abandon his beloved home, a heartbreaking testament to political reality's crushing weight on individual lives. Shahidul Jahir powerfully reveals how society, often unknowingly, enables such dark forces, a truth that still echoes.
💭 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: I picked this up expecting a political novella. What I found was a painful personal history—one that mirrors the collective trauma of post-1971 Bangladesh. Shahidul Jahir doesn’t shout; his words whisper. His sentences flow like confessions—long, poetic, breathless. His characters don’t scream for justice; they simply remember what the rest of the country tries to forget. There are no heroes here. Only survivors. And that’s what made it hit so hard. After being enchanted by "সে রাতে পূর্ণিমা ছিল/ Se Rate Purnima Chilo," I approached this earlier work with curiosity about Jahir's evolution, only to find myself staring into a mirror reflecting Bangladesh's cyclical political tragedies with horrifying clarity.
This isn’t a sprawling historical epic filled with grand pronouncements; instead, it’s a meticulously crafted mosaic of human experience, where every fragment—a casual conversation, a forgotten memory, a fleeting glance—illuminates the larger political currents shaping a nation. Jahir’s prose here is more grounded than his later magical realist novels, yet it retains that hypnotic quality that makes us feel like we're experiencing events rather than reading about them. He transports us to the raw, visceral reality of 1970s Bangladesh—a period brimming with liberation’s euphoria and disillusionment’s bitter taste. Jahir doesn't preach; he shows, introducing ordinary people swept up in extraordinary circumstances. We witness their struggles, small acts of defiance, compromises, and unwavering hope, all against political turmoil. It’s as if Jahir takes a scalpel to a nation's collective psyche, exposing the intricate veins where life and political reality flow, inextricably intertwined.
What sets Jahir apart, and shines through brilliantly, is his unparalleled prose. His sentences are not mere conveyances of information; they are living entities, sometimes meandering like a river, sometimes striking with lightning force. He stretches moments, dissects emotions, and presents observations with poetic precision, feeling both intimate and universal. Even with heavy subject matter—the aftermath of war, political assassinations, societal decay—his narrative voice retains a hypnotic quality, pulling you deeper. Reading this book felt like walking through a bustling, vibrant, yet wounded Dhaka, catching snippets of conversations, witnessing silent battles, and feeling the pulse of a nation finding its footing. Jahir’s non-linear narrative, while potentially disorienting, makes the story deeply immersive, mirroring memory's fragmented nature and how history is recalled in flashes. These subtle shifts, weaving personal anecdotes with broader historical events, make the political profoundly personal, and the personal universally significant.
However, the book's density can be overwhelming. Jahir packs this outwardly simple yet complex political and social commentary into relatively few pages, sometimes making them gasp for breath. There were characters I wanted more time with, political situations deserving deeper exploration. The fragmented structure, while thematically appropriate, occasionally distanced me emotionally from certain narratives just as I was beginning to connect.
Anyway, while researching about the book, I came across an intriguing interview where Shahidul Jahir revealed that the political climate of mid-1980s Bangladesh and the 1987 publication of "একাত্তরের ঘাতক ও দালালরা কে কোথায়" by the "Ekattorer Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee" (Committee for Eradicating the Killers and Collaborators of '71) inspired him to write this novel. He also mentioned that the use of magical realism in Jibon O Rajnoitik Bastobota was influenced by Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967). And once you begin reading—you can feel both the rage of history and the haze of fiction dripping through the cracks of this deceptively slim novel. The novel’s portrayal of war criminals not only returning but thriving politically, even with the tacit or explicit support of those who fought for freedom, is a narrative that, tragically, resonates with chilling precision today.
𝗔𝘀 𝗜 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, just four weeks after the Supreme Court's acquittal and subsequent release of ATM Azharul Islam—a man previously sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during our 1971 Liberation War —the novel’s 1985 story feels agonizingly current. This development undeniably echoes the very themes Jahir so starkly portrayed: the rehabilitation and empowerment of collaborators in post-war Bangladesh. As someone who supported the July 2024 movement with hope, this reality feels like betrayal. The pain, the sense of betrayal, the questioning of justice that saturates "জীবন ও রাজনৈতিক বাস্তবতা" feels acutely present to the sufferers and to the civic population. It forces us to confront whether the lessons of the past have truly been learned, or if we are, in fact, trapped in a cyclical narrative where the wounds of history are reopened again and again. The novel’s characters, grappling with a past that refuses to stay buried and a present shaped by uncomfortable compromises, mirror our contemporary reality with haunting accuracy. It's a stark reminder that Jahir's work is not just historical fiction; it's a living, breathing commentary on our present. And I guess, this answers the question I asked at the beginning of this writing.
Ultimately, "জীবন ও রাজনৈতিক বাস্তবতা" is not a comfortable read, but a profoundly necessary one. It challenges us to confront power's uncomfortable truths, human nature's complexities, and history's lasting impact. Yet, amidst the bleakness, a profound resilience shines through, a testament to the human spirit's capacity to endure. It's a powerful reminder that history is shaped not just by grand movements, but by the everyday decisions and struggles of ordinary men and women. Shahidul Jahir has gifted us another masterpiece—a powerful, poignant, and insightful novel that solidifies his place as one of Bengali literature's most vital voices. It demands to be read, discussed, and reread, offering new layers of understanding with each encounter. If you seek a book that makes you think, feel, and reflect on the intricate dance between individual lives and the broader political landscape, pick this one up. You won't regret it.
⁉️ 𝐐𝐎𝐓𝐃: Name a book that made you see the world, or your own country's history, in a completely new light. Tell me about that transformative reading experience 💬!
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November 21, 2022
Book: Life and Political Reality: Two Novellas
Author: Shahidul Zahir
Translators: V. Ramaswamy and Shahroza Nahrin
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 204
Genre: Literary Fiction
Life and Political Reality: Two Novellas is a book originally written in Bengali and translated into English by V. Ramaswamy and Shahroza Nahrin. As the title suggests, this book consists of two novellas, first, Life And Political Reality, and second Abu Ibrahim's Death.
Life and Political Reality explores and examines the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. Set in a local village in Bangladesh, the story explores the conflict between Abdul Mojid and Abul Khayer and how the decisions of the present are influenced by the past. On the other hand, Abu Ibrahim's Death makes us travel to the world of Abu Ibrahim, the life of a normal person. The story shows the problems and questions he faces and makes the readers dive deeper into it, as it makes the connection with today's scenario as well.
I have little high expectations from the book from the reason that this book is translated from Bengali, the language which gave me two of my favorite reads of this year, both being the translated books, Parineeta and Devdas, written by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Although this book belongs to quite a different genre, timeline, plot, and location, I was intrigued to read it. I wanted to read books based in Bangladesh or written by any Bangladeshi author for a long time, so it looked perfect for me to try this. And knowing that Shahidul Zahir has "some of the most unique and powerful works of fiction to come out of the subcontinent", as mentioned in the book, excited me.
The book is unique in the way of storytelling with the tangled characters and story, giving it a distinct identity. But what I was left with overall with the book was a disappointment, specially with the novella Life And Political Reality. I did not feel connected with the plot, characters, and their development, and overall to the complete story throughout its course. It took me a lot of time to get into it, which you can understand from the fact that I have read the first 10-15 pages at least 6-7 times to finally move forward with it. The language, words, and sentences felt very abrupt and difficult to go through. The constant repetition of the names of the characters throughout the story was irritating and it did not work for me at all. While Abu Ibrahim's Death was a little better than the former, having a linear structure and representing the dilemma of the character with the decisions.
Being a reader who loves books that are character driven and shows character development with a focus on the minute detail on them, this book although character-driven, left me underwhelming. The book might have been better in the original version but since I haven’t read that, I can comment on it, but I felt a sense of constriction in the writing while reading the story.
I will recommend you read the first few pages of the book from the sample available on the kindle before going through this book so that you can decide whether the book holds your interest or not. If it does so, you can try it as this book is quite different from the one that we read on regular basis. I would give this book 2 out of 5 stars.
Author: Shahidul Zahir
Translators: V. Ramaswamy and Shahroza Nahrin
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 204
Genre: Literary Fiction
Life and Political Reality: Two Novellas is a book originally written in Bengali and translated into English by V. Ramaswamy and Shahroza Nahrin. As the title suggests, this book consists of two novellas, first, Life And Political Reality, and second Abu Ibrahim's Death.
Life and Political Reality explores and examines the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. Set in a local village in Bangladesh, the story explores the conflict between Abdul Mojid and Abul Khayer and how the decisions of the present are influenced by the past. On the other hand, Abu Ibrahim's Death makes us travel to the world of Abu Ibrahim, the life of a normal person. The story shows the problems and questions he faces and makes the readers dive deeper into it, as it makes the connection with today's scenario as well.
I have little high expectations from the book from the reason that this book is translated from Bengali, the language which gave me two of my favorite reads of this year, both being the translated books, Parineeta and Devdas, written by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Although this book belongs to quite a different genre, timeline, plot, and location, I was intrigued to read it. I wanted to read books based in Bangladesh or written by any Bangladeshi author for a long time, so it looked perfect for me to try this. And knowing that Shahidul Zahir has "some of the most unique and powerful works of fiction to come out of the subcontinent", as mentioned in the book, excited me.
The book is unique in the way of storytelling with the tangled characters and story, giving it a distinct identity. But what I was left with overall with the book was a disappointment, specially with the novella Life And Political Reality. I did not feel connected with the plot, characters, and their development, and overall to the complete story throughout its course. It took me a lot of time to get into it, which you can understand from the fact that I have read the first 10-15 pages at least 6-7 times to finally move forward with it. The language, words, and sentences felt very abrupt and difficult to go through. The constant repetition of the names of the characters throughout the story was irritating and it did not work for me at all. While Abu Ibrahim's Death was a little better than the former, having a linear structure and representing the dilemma of the character with the decisions.
Being a reader who loves books that are character driven and shows character development with a focus on the minute detail on them, this book although character-driven, left me underwhelming. The book might have been better in the original version but since I haven’t read that, I can comment on it, but I felt a sense of constriction in the writing while reading the story.
I will recommend you read the first few pages of the book from the sample available on the kindle before going through this book so that you can decide whether the book holds your interest or not. If it does so, you can try it as this book is quite different from the one that we read on regular basis. I would give this book 2 out of 5 stars.
November 5, 2022
This book was my first ever one based on Bangladeshi literature. My love for translated fiction has only grown immensely after I finished this book. Books like these prove that translated works are the best to read diverse books. As the title suggests, the book consists of two novellas where political life is real life and vice versa.
The first narrative,' Life and political reality, ' is based on Bangladesh's liberation war of 1971. The story goes back and forth in the timeline from 1971 to 1985 when the protagonist Abdul Mojid's sandal snaps one fine day when walking through the Nawabpur road. His hatred for Maulana Bodu and his son, Abul Khayer, is deep-rooted as the former was involved in the brutal killing of 14 Bangladeshis and his beloved sister, Momena. The mohalla knew that Moulana Bodu was a traitor joining hands with the Pakistani army, killing lives and serving mutilated parts to crows. But none could stand against him except rejoice silently when his son and dog died and his favourite dress touched by the Pakistani army's leader was burnt down. Abdul Mojid was also weighed down by the 21 secret letters from Mohammad Salim to Mayarani before he fell for the war. He finally needs to decide whether the letters should be handed over to Mayarani or not and also about his future in the mohalla after naming his newborn after his fallen sister, Momena.
The second novella,' Abu Ibrahim's death ' is based on the inner turmoil of a man fighting to be a good human yet failing at it miserably. This book is more about the reality of life where circumstances lead to ignorant decision-making. Abu Ibrahim could be anyone we face in our day to day our lives. He loves his children dearly and takes note of his wife's loving and needy nature every now and then, though he never misses an opportunity to call her fat and plump. When he meets his old school love, Helen, his heart flutters again. Though he doesn't know what he wants from her now, he also wants to be in love again. He falters again when he meets his client, Khaled Jamil and accepts his bribery for work. Finally, all that was left for Abu Ibrahim was his downfall showing him the reality of life.
PROS: This book was an eye-opener for me in terms of Bangladeshi literature, and I am looking to explore more of them.
The author has beautifully spun an interwoven tale of reality and war at the same time.
It was mind-blowing to read the nuances in his description and how he brought out the emotions of people in war to perfection.
The stories were heart-wrenching and witty at the same time, and the detailing was perfect.
All the characters in the book felt accurate and intriguing and left me asking for more.
CONS: Literally, none.
MY REVIEW: 5/5
TRIGGER WARNING: murder, rape, mutilation, war crimes
#penbooksandscalpel
The first narrative,' Life and political reality, ' is based on Bangladesh's liberation war of 1971. The story goes back and forth in the timeline from 1971 to 1985 when the protagonist Abdul Mojid's sandal snaps one fine day when walking through the Nawabpur road. His hatred for Maulana Bodu and his son, Abul Khayer, is deep-rooted as the former was involved in the brutal killing of 14 Bangladeshis and his beloved sister, Momena. The mohalla knew that Moulana Bodu was a traitor joining hands with the Pakistani army, killing lives and serving mutilated parts to crows. But none could stand against him except rejoice silently when his son and dog died and his favourite dress touched by the Pakistani army's leader was burnt down. Abdul Mojid was also weighed down by the 21 secret letters from Mohammad Salim to Mayarani before he fell for the war. He finally needs to decide whether the letters should be handed over to Mayarani or not and also about his future in the mohalla after naming his newborn after his fallen sister, Momena.
The second novella,' Abu Ibrahim's death ' is based on the inner turmoil of a man fighting to be a good human yet failing at it miserably. This book is more about the reality of life where circumstances lead to ignorant decision-making. Abu Ibrahim could be anyone we face in our day to day our lives. He loves his children dearly and takes note of his wife's loving and needy nature every now and then, though he never misses an opportunity to call her fat and plump. When he meets his old school love, Helen, his heart flutters again. Though he doesn't know what he wants from her now, he also wants to be in love again. He falters again when he meets his client, Khaled Jamil and accepts his bribery for work. Finally, all that was left for Abu Ibrahim was his downfall showing him the reality of life.
PROS: This book was an eye-opener for me in terms of Bangladeshi literature, and I am looking to explore more of them.
The author has beautifully spun an interwoven tale of reality and war at the same time.
It was mind-blowing to read the nuances in his description and how he brought out the emotions of people in war to perfection.
The stories were heart-wrenching and witty at the same time, and the detailing was perfect.
All the characters in the book felt accurate and intriguing and left me asking for more.
CONS: Literally, none.
MY REVIEW: 5/5
TRIGGER WARNING: murder, rape, mutilation, war crimes
#penbooksandscalpel
November 8, 2022
The novellas are quite unique and present a picture of a country in the throes of change. The first novella, Life and Political Reality, is an interesting account of the 1971 war in a local village. The narrative is unique and the way it has been told is somewhat different, however it becomes repetitive and monotonous after a point in the story. Going back and forth, the reader tends to lose interest as the events start to get mixed up in their mind. Another issue I have is that repetitive use of the full name of the characters which tend to muddle up the reading experience. That might have been interesting in the original, but in English that starts becoming irritating. The second novella Abu Ibrahim's Death is a better read as compared to the first one. The story has a linear structure and the journey of the character is quite engaging. I liked the way Ibrahim faces the questions he faces in life, and the same questions are quite relevant in the current times as well. The entire premise of the death of the primary character is magnetic and as a reader you keep looking for the answer until the very end. Another good thing about this novella was that the characters are quite wonderfully crafted. I did like the way this particular novella ended. Ibrahim’s dilemma is the one that most of us face today in our personal and professional lives, and the way he handles it is quite good.
The characters in the stories are a bit complicated and considering the setting of the stories, the characters complement the stories. In both the novellas the characters drive the storytelling and they are not always treading in the black or the white. In the first novella, there are multiple characters pulling the story, and in the second one, the titular character is the one on the driving seat. In both the stories, however, Shahidul uses the country and the timeline as a character in a wonderful manner. I was personally quite impressed with the way Ibrahim’s character was sketched and how he interacts with the people around him, especially the change in the first and the second half.
The characters in the stories are a bit complicated and considering the setting of the stories, the characters complement the stories. In both the novellas the characters drive the storytelling and they are not always treading in the black or the white. In the first novella, there are multiple characters pulling the story, and in the second one, the titular character is the one on the driving seat. In both the stories, however, Shahidul uses the country and the timeline as a character in a wonderful manner. I was personally quite impressed with the way Ibrahim’s character was sketched and how he interacts with the people around him, especially the change in the first and the second half.
October 14, 2022
"Life and Political Reality: Two Novellas" is a collection of two novellas written by Bangladeshi author "Shahidul Zahir" and magnificently translated by "V. Ramaswamy" and "Shahroza Nahrin" that will transport readers to the world of ordinary people facing atrocities and attempting to live after the Liberation War of 1971.
The first novella starts with the snapping of a young man, Abdul Mojid's sandals on a summer day, which takes him into the brutal and haunting memory lane of his past during the liberation war, full of heart-wrenching and horrendous atrocities people faced during that time. Abdul was haunted by his painful childhood, in which he witnessed the bloody mascaras, rape, religious propaganda, and the root cause of all these events, the dirty politics of the Razakars. He was scared of living a life in his country as he lost all his faith in its leaders and political ideologies.
The second novella is a story of a dreamy protagonist, "Abu Ibrahim," who is still living in the past. This book is set in post-liberation war Bangladesh and narrates a story full of family drama, love, ego, ideals, values, and the impact of migration on people.
The author has a keen sense of plot and character development and weaves the stories with such raw emotions that I feel raged, sad, and empathetic as I turn the pages. I want to thank V. Ramaswamy and Shahroza Nahrin for beautifully translating the work and exposing the readers to the hard-hitting literature of Bangladesh. A must read.
The first novella starts with the snapping of a young man, Abdul Mojid's sandals on a summer day, which takes him into the brutal and haunting memory lane of his past during the liberation war, full of heart-wrenching and horrendous atrocities people faced during that time. Abdul was haunted by his painful childhood, in which he witnessed the bloody mascaras, rape, religious propaganda, and the root cause of all these events, the dirty politics of the Razakars. He was scared of living a life in his country as he lost all his faith in its leaders and political ideologies.
The second novella is a story of a dreamy protagonist, "Abu Ibrahim," who is still living in the past. This book is set in post-liberation war Bangladesh and narrates a story full of family drama, love, ego, ideals, values, and the impact of migration on people.
The author has a keen sense of plot and character development and weaves the stories with such raw emotions that I feel raged, sad, and empathetic as I turn the pages. I want to thank V. Ramaswamy and Shahroza Nahrin for beautifully translating the work and exposing the readers to the hard-hitting literature of Bangladesh. A must read.
October 1, 2023
3.5
This is a collection of two haunting tales which narrates the human condition in the debris left by war. Set in Bangladesh, the two novellas explore the plight of people after the 1971 Liberation war.
Life and Political Reality, the first tale, through the recollections of Abdul Mojid, reconstructs
with all transparency the brutal realities of war and how it destroys the human spirit by leaving behind an everlasting sense of loss, grief and distrust. Though the narration follows through the reminiscences of the protagonist (is there one?) triggered as his sandal strap snaps, an otherwise inconsequential event, the novella becomes the collective voice of the spectre of fear that haunts the memory of a populace.
The second novella titled Abu Ibrahim's Death, chronicles the plight of a common man, a nobody, in a country that has been stumbling in the ruins of war like corruption and instability. Again, we encounter the destruction of human spirit, though indirectly, by war. Together they illustrate the power of fiction to induce a harrowing feeling in the reader albeit through different kinds of prose.
I think the most accurate words are those by Jerry Pinto in his endorsement. "In these novellas the political is the personal is the intimate is the lyrical is the ironic is the universal.."
This is a collection of two haunting tales which narrates the human condition in the debris left by war. Set in Bangladesh, the two novellas explore the plight of people after the 1971 Liberation war.
Life and Political Reality, the first tale, through the recollections of Abdul Mojid, reconstructs
with all transparency the brutal realities of war and how it destroys the human spirit by leaving behind an everlasting sense of loss, grief and distrust. Though the narration follows through the reminiscences of the protagonist (is there one?) triggered as his sandal strap snaps, an otherwise inconsequential event, the novella becomes the collective voice of the spectre of fear that haunts the memory of a populace.
The second novella titled Abu Ibrahim's Death, chronicles the plight of a common man, a nobody, in a country that has been stumbling in the ruins of war like corruption and instability. Again, we encounter the destruction of human spirit, though indirectly, by war. Together they illustrate the power of fiction to induce a harrowing feeling in the reader albeit through different kinds of prose.
I think the most accurate words are those by Jerry Pinto in his endorsement. "In these novellas the political is the personal is the intimate is the lyrical is the ironic is the universal.."
May 10, 2022
Life and Political Reality is a collection of two novellas by Shahidul Zahir, originally written in Bangla & translated by V. Ramaswamy & Shahroza Nahrin. It tells us about the atrocities that took place in different parts of Bangladesh in 1971 through the stories of common people just trying to live their lives.
The first story’s title is the same as the book’s, it goes into the story of a small locality where Moulana Bodu, a confidant of the Pakistani Army resides and uses his closeness with the army to keep everyone terrified. He trades any information regarding the rebel forces and hence, cause mayhem to them and their families. But as Bangladesh gets liberated, situations change, and how these things will come back to him is a journey which is interesting to read about. Similarly, the second story Abu Ibrahim’s Death is a story of remembrance, the migration and death of innumerous people and all the names lost with time.
This book is a homage to Bangladesh and its liberation war & it tries to rekindle that feeling of belonging in people. Translated beautifully, I can’t find even a single word that I would like to change. A must read.
The first story’s title is the same as the book’s, it goes into the story of a small locality where Moulana Bodu, a confidant of the Pakistani Army resides and uses his closeness with the army to keep everyone terrified. He trades any information regarding the rebel forces and hence, cause mayhem to them and their families. But as Bangladesh gets liberated, situations change, and how these things will come back to him is a journey which is interesting to read about. Similarly, the second story Abu Ibrahim’s Death is a story of remembrance, the migration and death of innumerous people and all the names lost with time.
This book is a homage to Bangladesh and its liberation war & it tries to rekindle that feeling of belonging in people. Translated beautifully, I can’t find even a single word that I would like to change. A must read.
July 14, 2022
A very refreshing read. To read about the riots in Bangladesh made me realise how acts like these, no matter where they take place, feel exactly the same?? The brutality, one section becoming so obsessed with themselves that they stop valuing the lives of others?? Few people who betray their own community?? It was different yet there was a sense of familiarity. Would definitely be reading the other works from this author too.
June 12, 2024
great puran dhaka represent
February 26, 2023
The word gut-wrenching is overused when talking of stories, but the first of the two novellas here (the one that gives the book its title) undoubtedly deserves the adjective.
The second novella, Abu Ibrahim's Death, reminded some of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Chronicles of a Death Foretold, as all novellas where death is foretold are liable to. I didn't see any significant connection. The novella's contrast with the titular novella established, in my mind, Shahidul Zahir as an incredible writer, someone who could shift easily between direct, unflinching ways of telling (necessary, if one is writing of war-time Bangladesh) to subtle, suggestive ways (necessary, too, if one is writing of middle-class life in an under-developed country). I can't wait to get my hands on the short-story collection that has come out recently.
This is an essential book for readers in India, not least because these are stories from a nation whose fate has been inextricably tied to ours, sometimes in cruel ways (our Independence Day became, years later, Bangladesh's National Day of Mourning).
When James Wood wrote that line about the long sentence in European literature (including Krasznahorkai, Sebald, and others as examples), did he mention the translators too? I think not. Here, V. Ramaswamy and Shahroza Nahrin have done excellent work. The long sentences, especially, are a pleasure to read. And all micro-decisions about keeping the original word as-is work splendidly.
The second novella, Abu Ibrahim's Death, reminded some of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Chronicles of a Death Foretold, as all novellas where death is foretold are liable to. I didn't see any significant connection. The novella's contrast with the titular novella established, in my mind, Shahidul Zahir as an incredible writer, someone who could shift easily between direct, unflinching ways of telling (necessary, if one is writing of war-time Bangladesh) to subtle, suggestive ways (necessary, too, if one is writing of middle-class life in an under-developed country). I can't wait to get my hands on the short-story collection that has come out recently.
This is an essential book for readers in India, not least because these are stories from a nation whose fate has been inextricably tied to ours, sometimes in cruel ways (our Independence Day became, years later, Bangladesh's National Day of Mourning).
When James Wood wrote that line about the long sentence in European literature (including Krasznahorkai, Sebald, and others as examples), did he mention the translators too? I think not. Here, V. Ramaswamy and Shahroza Nahrin have done excellent work. The long sentences, especially, are a pleasure to read. And all micro-decisions about keeping the original word as-is work splendidly.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews