Abdullah Abu Sayeed
{{Short description|Bangladeshi educator}}
{{other people||Abu Sayeed (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Abdullah Abu Sayeed
| native_name = আবদুল্লাহ্ আবু সায়ীদ
| native_name_lang = bn
| image = Abdullah Abu Sayeed (cropped).jpg
| caption = Sayeed in 2014
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1940|07|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = Park Circus, Calcutta, British India (now India)
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| institution =
| alma_mater = {{unbulleted list|University of Dhaka}}
| education = {{unbulleted list|BA Hons (Bengali) | MA (Bengali)}}
| occupation = Teacher, writer, television presenter, activist
| awards = {{Unbulleted list|{{nowrap|Ramon Magsaysay Award (2004)}}|Bangla Academy Literary Award (2011)|Ekushey Padak (2005)}}
| signature = Signature of Abdullah Abu Sayeed.png
}}
Abdullah Abu Sayeed (born 25 July 1940) is a Bangladeshi educator, writer, television presenter, and activist. He is the founder and chairman of Bishwa Sahitya Kendra, a non-profit organization that promotes the study of literature, reading habits and progressive ideas.
Early life
Sayeed was born on 25 July 1939, to a Bengali Muslim family in Park Circus, Calcutta.{{cite news |title=The 'bookworm' in full form: Abdullah Abu Sayeed turns 72 |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-195884 |work=The Daily Star |date=2011-07-27 |access-date=2012-12-25 |archive-date=2019-06-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607181232/https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-195884 |url-status=live }} His father was Azimuddin Ahmed, a teacher of English and Bengali literature, and a playwright.{{cite book |editor1-last=Hossain |editor1-first=Selina |editor2-last=Islam |editor2-first=Nurul |editor3-last=Hossain |editor3-first=Mobarak |year=2000 |title=Bangla Academy Dictionary of Writers |publisher=Bangla Academy |page=2 |isbn=984-07-4052-0}}{{cite news|author=Lorraine Hahn|date=2005-01-14|title=Ramon Magsaysay Recipient Abdullah Abu Sayeed TalkAsia Transcript|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/14/talkasia.sayeed.script/|publisher=CNN|access-date=2012-12-15|archive-date=2012-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005150445/http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/14/talkasia.sayeed.script/|url-status=live}} Their ancestral home was in Kamargati, Bagerhat District.{{cite book|author=Abu Sayeed, Abdullah|year=2001|edition=2|location=Dhaka|title=বিস্রস্ত জর্নাল|publisher=Sahitya Prakash|language=bn}} Sayeed passed the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam from Radhanagar Mojumder Academy (School & College), Pabna in 1955 and the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam from Prafulla Chandra College in Bagerhat in 1957. He later earned BA and MA degrees in Bengali from the University of Dhaka in 1960 and 1961 respectively. While studying at University of Dhaka, he organized, along with others, Birth Centenary of the Nobel Laureate Poet Rabindranath Tagore.{{Cite web |title=Abdullah Abu Sayeed: Spreading the light of learning |url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/reviews/abdullah-abu-sayeed-spreading-the-light-of-learning-1659710562 |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=The Financial Express |language=en |archive-date=2023-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822171429/https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/reviews/abdullah-abu-sayeed-spreading-the-light-of-learning-1659710562 |url-status=live }}
Career
Sayeed started his career as a guest teacher at Government Haraganga College, Munshiganj. Then he taught at Sylhet Women college for some time. In 1962 he joined Rajshahi College as a full-time teacher. After 5 months he joined Government Science College, Dhaka. He was also an acting principal for 2 years when he was only 23 years old. He also taught Bangla as a part-time lecturer at BUET. He took voluntary retirement as a professor in April 1992.{{Cite web |title=Abdullah Abu Sayeed: Spreading the light of learning |url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/reviews/abdullah-abu-sayeed-spreading-the-light-of-learning-1659710562 |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=The Financial Express |language=en |archive-date=2023-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822171429/https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/reviews/abdullah-abu-sayeed-spreading-the-light-of-learning-1659710562 |url-status=live }}
Sayeed gave an interview for the post of assistant professor. Being impressed by Sayeed's brilliance and personality, Dhaka College's renowned principal Jalaluddin Ahmed invited Sayeed to Dhaka College.
Sayeed later became the department head of the Bengali language at Dhaka College.{{cite news |author=Shamim Ahsan |date=2004-09-03 |title=Recognised for an Enlightening Pursuit |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/magazine/2004/09/01/endeavour.htm |work=Star Weekend Magazine |publisher=The Daily Star |access-date=2012-12-15 |archive-date=2016-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207145017/http://archive.thedailystar.net/magazine/2004/09/01/endeavour.htm |url-status=dead }} He was very popular among his students. It is said that even students from other colleges came to attend his classes. He wrote a book on his teaching career named Nishfola Mather Krishok (Farmer of an infertile land). He edited the literary magazine Kanthashar (The Voice) in the 1960s which promoted a new trend in Bangladeshi literature.
Sayeed started participating in TV programs from 1966. At first, he was presenter of children's programs and quiz programs.{{Cite web |title=Abdullah Abu Sayeed: Spreading the light of learning |url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/reviews/abdullah-abu-sayeed-spreading-the-light-of-learning-1659710562 |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=The Financial Express |language=en |archive-date=2023-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822171429/https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/reviews/abdullah-abu-sayeed-spreading-the-light-of-learning-1659710562 |url-status=live }} In the mid-1970s, he started presenting Shaptabarna (Seven Colors), a TV show on Bangladesh Television.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}} Saptabarna was telecast once a week. It was a 90 minute long program. In the 1970s and 1980s, he also presented TV show Eid Anadamela. He received the National Television Award in 1977.{{cite news|title=Prof. Abdullah Abu Sayeed|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/supplements/star-lifetime-awardees-2016/prof-abdullah-abu-sayeed-212860|newspaper=The Daily Star|date=2016-02-05|access-date=2016-02-16|archive-date=2016-02-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206080041/http://www.thedailystar.net/supplements/star-lifetime-awardees-2016/prof-abdullah-abu-sayeed-212860|url-status=live}}
In 1978, he founded the Bishwa Sahitya Kendra. He has close association with Bangladesh Poribesh Andolan (BAPA) and Transparency International Bangladesh' (TIB).{{Cite web |title=Abdullah Abu Sayeed: Spreading the light of learning |url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/reviews/abdullah-abu-sayeed-spreading-the-light-of-learning-1659710562 |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=The Financial Express |language=en |archive-date=2023-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822171429/https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/reviews/abdullah-abu-sayeed-spreading-the-light-of-learning-1659710562 |url-status=live }}
Works
Sayeed has written and edited more than 50 books.
- Bidaye, Obonti (2005)
- Bohe Joloboti Dhara (2006)
- Bhalobashar Shampan (2007)
- Bishwo Shahitto Kendro O Ami (2007)
- Bisrosto Journal (2007)
- Amar Uposthapok Jibon (2008)
- Amar Ashabad (2009)
- Mrityumoy O Chiraharit
- Swapna-Duhswapner Galpo
- Rodanruposhi
- Juddhajatra
- Sangathan O Bangali
- Amar Ashabad
Awards
- Ramon Magsaysay Award (2004) in journalism, literature, and creative communication arts for "cultivating in the youth of Bangladesh a love for books and their humanizing values through exposure to the great works of Bengal and the world".{{cite web |url=http://www.rmaward.asia/awardees/sayeed-abdullah-abu/ |title=Sayeed, Abdullah Abu |website=Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation |access-date=2012-12-15 |archive-date=2017-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911054940/http://rmaward.asia/awardees/sayeed-abdullah-abu/ |url-status=live }}
- National Television Award (1977)
- Mahbub Ullah Trust Award (1998)
- Ekushey Padak (2005)
- Bangla Academy Literary Award (2011) for his essays{{cite news |title=Bangla Academy prizes announced |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2012/02/18/bangla-academy-prizes-announced |newspaper=bdnews24.com |date=2012-02-18 |access-date=2012-12-15 |archive-date=2017-11-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111205217/https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2012/02/18/bangla-academy-prizes-announced |url-status=live }}
- Khan Muhammad Farabi Memorial Award (2012){{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-251589|title=Prof Abu Sayeed gets Farabi memorial award|date=2012-09-28|work=The Daily Star|access-date=2018-08-10|language=en|archive-date=2018-08-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810112628/https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-251589|url-status=live}}
- Star Lifetime Award on Education (2016)
References
{{Reflist}}
{{commons}}
{{Ramon Magsaysay Award Winners}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sayeed, Abdullah Abu}}
Category:Bangladeshi male writers
Category:University of Dhaka alumni
Category:Academic staff of Dhaka College
Category:Ramon Magsaysay Award winners
Category:Recipients of Bangla Academy Award
Category:Recipients of the Ekushey Padak