Rabeya Khatun (b.1935) is
one of the most prolific writers of Bangladesh. During
the fifties of the twentieth century she started her
authorial life with a short story “Proshno”. Later on in
the year 1963, her debut novel Modhumoti was
published which brought her satisfactory acquaintance to
the Bangali readership. In the same decade a good number
of her novels came out that established her not only as
a representative of the women writing community but as a
major fiction writer of the country. Her other novels
include: Mon Ek Shwet Kopoti (Mind is a White
Pigeon,1965), Ononto Onnesha (Endless
Pursuite,1967), Rajabagh(1967), Shaheb
Bazaar (1967), Ferari Surjo (Fugitive
Sun,1975); Onek Joner Ekjon (One of Many
Persons,1976); Jiboner Ar Ek Naam Dibos Rojony
(Another Name of Life is Day and Night,1980), Bayanno
Golir Ek Goli (One of Fifty Two Alleys,1984);
Baganer Naam Malnichora (Name of the Garden is
Malnichora,1995); Ei Birohokal (Time of
Seperation,1995) Ei Bhora Bhador Mah Bhador (This
Rainy Days of the Month of Bhadro,2nd Ed.1995), Priyo
Gilshana (Beloved Gulshana,1997) etc.
Other than her exposition as a novelist Rabeya Khatun
also feels free in other genres of literature like short
stories, reminiscences, travelogues etc. Her volumes of
stories are: Amar Egaroti Golpo (My Eleven
Stories, 1982); Nirbachito Golpo (Selected
Stores, 1990); Modhyorate Sat Mile (Seven Miles
at Midnight, 1996) etc. A good traveler Rabeya Khatun
has earned eminence in writing travelogues also which
include: Kumari Matir Deshe (In the Land of
Maiden Soil, 1994); Thames Theke Niagara (From Thames to
Niagara, 1993) etc. The two memoirs that brought her
huge reputation are Swapner Shohor Dhaka (Dhaka:
A City of Dream, 1994) and Ekatturer Noi Mash
(Nine Months of 1971, 1996). The juvenile books of
Rabeya Khatun are: Duhsahasik Obhijan (Bold
Expedition, 1967); Sumon O Mithur Golpo (Stories
of Sumon and Mithu, 1978); Lal Sobuj Patherer Manush
(People of Red and Green Stones, 1979); Titumirer
Bansher Kella (Bamboo Fort of Titumur, 1981);
Ekaturrer Nishan (Flag of 1971, 1992); Sona Holud
Piramider Khonje (In Search of Gold Yellow Pyramid,
1997) etc.
The debut novel of Rabeya Khatun deals with the problems
of the weavers on the bank of the river Modhumoti
after the partition of India. A true picture of that
society: their beliefs and prejudices; poverty and
financial constraints; hopeful and rebellious bent of
mind have been portrayed from a very practically
experienced view. The economic, cultural and educational
sketches of that locality make a whole picture. As a
start it proved successful for the novelist, though the
plot of the novel was not that much well knit and some
may try to find fault in respect of characterization.
Her other novel Onote Oneshwa presents the
middle class Dhaka society, though the writer has come
across the limitations of that society which may seen
impractical to many Bangladesh readers. The uprising
middle class rushing towards pomposity and extravagance
has been focussed very meticulously. The licentious love
between the young protagonist Wahid and his beloved, a
married woman of some ten years senor and having a
child, appear as unnatural in the milieu of Bangali
culture.
Her another novel Rajabagh delineates the
urbanisation and expansion of rural area to an urban one
from where it flourishes to a megacity. Rabeya Khatun
has woven her story with historical components. She has
gone far back to the time when a son-in-law of the
Bhowal Estate got some land as dowry where the poor
service holders began to inhabit; and thus gradually
penetrates the urban elements.
As a consequence the river bank people began to retreat
and make a permanent locality of their own where the
Hindus were the majority. Their enlightened part
participates in cultural activities also. United they
also set up a school there; even a night school for the
elderly illiterates. In the meantime the tumultuous time
of the Bangali nation rushed on: the second world war,
Independence of India, famine, partition of Bengal,
migration of huge number of people caused a drastic
change in the life style of Rajabagh. The Hindu
inhabitants began to migrate whereas there arrived the
Muslim migrants from India; and thus it began to form a
new society. The woman folk began to receive education
and get jobs. The newly educated walk of life brought a
change to the century-old life style. Though well-off
people could keep pace with all these changes very
easily, it created a great havoc for the lower class
society. As a whole Rajabagh takes a panoramic
context in a chronological perspective where we meet the
year of 1952 also.
The black night of 25 March of the year 1971 is the
focal point of Rabeya Khatun’s tour de force Ferari
Surya. During the decade of Ayub regime (1958-1968),
in the social, political, economic and cultural arena
there arose a huge tumult across the whole nation. The
novelist has transformed the rebellion against the
Pakistan domination through the characters of Abed,
Ashek, Iqbal, Abdullah, Ramjan who later on participate
in the Independence war in 1971.
Rabeya Khatun is one of the few writers of Bangladesh
who have been honoured with the highest national award
Ekushe Podok. She is restless, no sort of laziness can
hover over her. Due to her relentless work the number of
her books is about to meet a century.
