Today is 14 May. The 17th death anniversary of Shawkat Osman, a renowned novelist and short story writer of the country, is being observed.

Shawkat Osman was born to be a writer so he never thought of other professions. As a writer, he contributed immensely to enrich the Bangla literature.

He always thought of the poor and neglected class of the society and his desires for the destitute have been reflected in his writings.

Shawkat Osman, all his life, wrote for the oppressed, stood by the oppressed and fought for their rights in the society.

His father wanted him to be a politician to serve the people but for some reasons he could not pursue his career as a politician. Though he could not be a politician, he always stood by the oppressed through his literary works.

Shawkat Osman has a great contribution to Bengali literature. In his writings, oppressed people are the heroes. All his life, he loved the country and worked for the country and its oppressed people but he did not get his deserved honour.

As a writer, Shawkat Osman was equally sincere towards his adolescent and adult readers, literature analysts opine.

Shawkat Osman was born in Sabalsinghapur, Hughli, West Bengal in 1917. His father was Sheikh Mohammad Yehia. He was educated at the Aliah University (Anglo-Persian Department), and at the St. Xavier`s College, Calcutta from where he graduated in 1938.

Thereafter, he would earn an MA degree in Bengali literature from the University of Calcutta in 1941. Born in what was then West Bengal, Osman migrated to East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) after the partition of India in 1947.

He started his professional life by teaching at Dhaka College in Dhaka. He also taught at Chittagong Commerce College. He was a servant (clarification needed) of Mujibnagar Government in 1971. His son Yafes Osman became the Science and Technology minister of Bangladesh in 2009.

Shawkat Osman`ss first prominent novel was Janani. Janani (Mother) is a portrait of the disintegration of a family because of the rural and urban divide. In Kritadaser Hasi (Laugh of a Slave), Osman explores the darkness of contemporary politics and reality of dictatorship. He wrote many novels, short stories, poems, drama, stories and books for children, essays and more under the penname Shawkat Osman.

His famous novels are Boni Adam (1943), Janani (1958), Kritadaser Hasi, (1962), Samagam (1967), Chaurasandhi (1968), Raja Upakhyan (1971), Jahannam Haite Biday (1971), Dui Sainik (1973), Nekre Aranya (1973), Patanga Pinjar (1983), Rajsakkhi (1985), Jolangi (1986), and Puratan Khanjar (1987). Of the short stories, Pinjrapol (1358) Junu Apa o Anyanya Galpo (1358), Sabek Kahini (1953), Prostor Phalok (1964), Upolakso (1965), Netrapath (1968), Ubhosringo (1375), Janmo Jadi Tabo Bange (1975), Monib o Tahar Kukur (1986), Iswarer Protidandi (1990), and Bigata Kaler Galpo (1986) are notable.