Rashid Haider

Rashid Haider (15 July 1941 – 13 October 2020)^[1] was a Bangladeshi author and novelist.^[2][3] He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2014 and Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1984 by the government of Bangladesh.^[4] He was the author of more than 70 books throughout his career.^[1]

Rashid Haider
রশীদ হায়দার
Haider in 2012
Born	(1941-07-15)15 July 1941 Pabna, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died	13 October 2020(2020-10-13) (aged 79) Dhaka, Bangladesh
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Alma mater	University of Dhaka
Occupation	Novelist
Relatives	Zia Haider (brother)
Awards	full list

Background

Sheikh Faisal Abdur Rashid Muhammad Ziauddin Haider was born into an aristocratic Bengali Muslim zamindar family of Sheikhs on 15 July 1941 to Hakimuddin Sheikh and Rahima Khatun in Doharpara in Pabna Town of British India. His father Hakimuddin Sheikh was a prominent zamindar in Pabna Town and would have received the title of Khan Bahadur from the ruling British Raj had the Partition of India been delayed a few years.^[5][6][1] He graduated in Bangla from the University of Dhaka.^[1]

Career

Haider began journalism through the magazine Chitrali since 1961.^[7] He was a member of the Pakistan Writers' Guild in 1964.^[1] He was a member of Nagorik Natya Sampradaya, founded by his brother Zia Haider. Rashid wrote Toilo Shonkot, and acted in Baki Itihash, the first play by Nagorik.^[1]

Works

Novels

• Khancay (Inside the Cage, 1975)
• Nashta Josnay Ekon Aranya (What Forest is this in the Spoilt Moonlight, 1982)
• Sadh Ahlad (Yearnings, 1985)
• Andha Kathamala (Blind Words, 1987)
• Asamabriksha (Unequal Trees, 1987)
• Mabuhai (1988)

Awards

• Ekushey Padak (2014)
• Bangla Academy Literary Award (1984)
• Nedhushah Literary Prize (1987)
• Humayun Qadir Prize (1987)
• Agrani Bank Prize (1982)

Personal life

Haider was married to Anisa Akhter and they had two daughters, Hema and Khama.^[7]