Book Review
Hundred years of tribute: ‘Nazrul and Pramila’s Love and Marriage
Morioum Jannath Mito
Published: 03 Oct 2025
The book, written by Dr. Abul Azad, is a biographical work that illustrates the life of Kazi Nazrul Islam. The book also highlights his love and marriage with Pramila, along with his achievements, courage and struggles. A brief summary of this book is presented below.
Kazi Nazrul Islam, the eternal poet of rebellion and love, left remarkable contributions through his writings that continue to shine in Bengali literature. He was born on 24 May 1899 in West Bengal, India. He was raised in an economically disadvantaged family, his father, Kazi Fakir, worked as a caretaker at a mosque, while his mother was Zaheda Khatun.
Despite losing his father at a very early age and facing the challenges of poverty, Nazrul rose above hardship to achieve great success, for example - working at a bakery, at tea stalls, and also served as a soldier. Moreover, he played a powerful role against British oppression. For instance, his poem - "Bidrohi" symbolized his rebellious voice, Additionally, his revolutionary publication-"Dhumketu" reflected his call for independence, and some of his writings were banned by the British authorities.
In 1922, he was imprisoned for his politically charged writings, even this time he undertook a 39-day hunger strike to protest the cruel treatment of prisoners. He married a Hindu woman, Pramila Devi in 1924, who supported him in his literary and political struggles. He is also known as the poet of love because, despite social oppression and religious boundaries, he chose to marry the woman he loved. In 1972, he received the Bangladesh Independence Day Award, the highest civilian honor, and was officially recognized as the national poet of Bangladesh.
However, some of his famous writings are poems such as "Bidrohi", "Agnibina", and "Samyabadi" ; prose like "Dhumketu" and "Bisher Bashi" ; and songs collectively known as Nazrul Giti, portray his love, devotion, and patriotism.The noble poet passed away on 8 August 1976 in Bangladesh, he was laid to rest near the Dhaka University Mosque.
His wife, Pramila Devi, had passed away earlier in 1962 and was buried in India. Her last wish had been to rest beside Kazi Nazrul Islam, but fate was cruel, and her last desire tragically remained unfulfilled because during the time of his death, flights between Dhaka and Kolkata were suspended due to a military order, and the political authorities neglected Pramila Devi’s wish. In conclusion, Kazi Nazrul Islam’s life was defined by courage, love, and commitment to justice. Inspite of his personal hardships, he left a legacy through his writings that still continue to inspire generations to uphold freedom and equality.