Poet, editor Amit Chowdhury dies

Poet and editor Amit Chowdhury, one of the notable poets of Bangladesh's 1970s literary generation, died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Chattogram today (28 September).

Family members confirmed his death.

Born on 14 April 1952 in Cox's Bazar town, his real name was Satindranath Dey. He was known as Santosh among friends but wrote under the name Amit Chowdhury.

His father, Ramesh Chandra Dey, was originally from Sitakunda and moved to Cox's Bazar in early 1943.

The Liberation War began while he was studying at Chittagong Education College, now Government BEd College, Chattogram. After Pakistani forces occupied Cox's Bazar, he and his family took refuge in Arakan, Burma.

He returned to Bangladesh after independence, resumed his studies and became involved in literary activities during that period. 

Amit Chowdhury completed his master's degree in Bengali language and literature from Chittagong University before joining the teaching profession. He later taught at Chittagong Urea Fertilizer School and College.

While studying at Chittagong Education College, he edited Baijayanti in 1973. From 1976, he edited Mulyayan, a creative literary magazine that published special issues focusing on various individuals and subjects.

He had been involved in poetry, rhymes, lyrics and essays since the 1970s.

Among his published works are Chokhe Rekhechi Tomar Chokhe (1984), Shipra Jamunar Dhara (1986), Jui Noy Prithibi (1988), Raja Ashchhe Raja Kar (1991), Ghatak Kosai Mohimake Ferot Chai (2004), Maran Bangladesh-tay (2005) and Dhonkabaj Dhonkaraj (2010).

His notable edited works include Album: Ganandolon 1981–1990, an anthology of anti-autocracy poetry edited with Yusuf Muhammad; Shekol Chhere (1994), an anthology of poetry against communalism; Abdul Haque Chowdhury Karmashil Mulyayan (1995), a critical assessment of researcher Abdul Haque Chowdhury; and Kothao Bejechhe Payoj, an anthology of anti-war poetry first published in 2003 and reissued in 2007.