Kazi Nazrul Islam

Kazi Nazrul Islam was a Bengali poet, short story writer, journalist, lyricist and musician who lived from 1899 to 1976 and was later honored as the national poet of Bangladesh. Writing on themes of equality, justice, anti-imperialism, humanity and rebellion against oppression, he became known as the Rebel Poet, or Bidrohi Kobi, after his poem Bidrohi, and his prolific compositions established the musical genre known as Nazrul Giti. Born into a Bengali Muslim family in Churulia in what was then the Bengal Presidency, he worked as a muezzin and in a rural theatrical troupe before joining the British Indian Army, later establishing himself as a journalist in Calcutta whose writings against British colonial rule led to repeated imprisonment.