Shamsuddin Abul Kalam

Shamsuddin Abul Kalam (Bengali: শামসুদ্দিন আবুল কালাম; 1926–1997), also known by his daak naams Kanchan and Kanchu, was an actor and an author of Bengali literature in Bangladesh. He was born in Barisal. He is the maternal uncle of A.M. Harun-ar-Rashid.^[1]

At first, his name was 'Abul Kalam Shamsuddin', but the editor of the Daily Azad had the same name, so Shamsuddin adapted to the current form of his name in 1955. He was born in 1926 to a Bengali family of Muslim Munshis in the village of Kamdevpur in Nalchity, Jhalokathi, then part of the Backergunge District of the Bengal Presidency. He was the only son of Akram Ali Munshi and Meherunnessa Phulmeher, with four sisters (Jahanara Begum, Raushanara Begum, Mumtaz Begum, and Saida Akhtar). His father was a social worker who served as chairman of the local union credit board and was an acquaintance of Sher-e-Bangla A. K. Fazlul Huq. Munshi was also credited for the construction of an 18-kilometer road funded built by the Backergunge District Board from Nalchity to Chamta. Through his paternal grandfather Zikirullah, Abul Kalam was descended from the influential leader Zahir of Kamdevpur.^[2]

He matriculated from Barishal Zilla School in 1941, and completed his Intermediate of Arts from Brajamohan College in 1943, and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calcutta in 1946. He was actively involved in the independence movement as a student and was a member of the central committee of the Bengal Student Congress. He was also involved in the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971 from Italy. Rome University awarded Abul Kalam the DLitt degree. He was also awarded a diploma on cinema from the Experimental Centre of Cinematography in Rome. He spent considerable time abroad and played roles in several Italian movies, one of these was Man and Wife (1970) with Alberto Sordi.

In his works, the rural life of Bengali people is seen widely. Emotion and romanticism are widely seen in his works.

• Kashboner Konya (The Girl in the Reeds, 1954)
• Dui Mahol (Two Mansions, 1955)
• Kanchonmala (The Gold Necklace, 1956)
• Jibon Kando (The Parts of Life, 1956)
• Jaijongol (The Wilderness, 1978)
• Somudrobasor (Coastal House, 1986)
• Nobanno (The Nobanno Ceremony, 1987)
• Jar Sathe Jar (Who Suits Whom, 1986)
• Moner Moto Thain (A Suitable Place, 1985)
• Kanchongram (The Golden Village, 1997)

• Onek Diner Asha (Hopes of Many Days, 1952)
• Dheu (Waves, 1953)
• Path Jana Nai (Don't Know the Way, 1953)
• Dui Hridoyer Tir (1955)
• Saher Banu (1957)

• Golpo Songroho (Collected Stories), the national textbook of B.A. (pass and subsidiary) course of Bangladesh, published by University of Dhaka in 1979 (reprint in 1986).
• Bangla Sahitya (Bengali Literature), the national textbook of intermediate (college) level of Bangladesh published in 1996 by all educational boards.

• Bangladeshinovels.com