Renowned Bangladeshi writer, historian, and political activist Badruddin Umar passed away in Dhaka on Sunday morning at the age of 94. He began his academic career as a part-time lecturer at Dhaka University before founding the Department of Sociology at Rajshahi University. In 1963, he established both the Departments of Political Science and Sociology there, resigning in 1968 to dedicate himself fully to political activism.
Umar was deeply engaged in Bangladesh’s political landscape. He served as president of the Bangladesh Krishok Federation, central coordinator of the Gonotantrik Biplobi Jote, and was a leading member of the Anti-Imperialist and Anti-Fascist Committee. A lifelong Marxist thinker, he was once part of the central committee of the Purba Banglar Communist Party. In 2003, he founded the Jatiya Mukti Council and remained its president until his passing.
For over sixty years, Umar’s writings challenged authority and advocated for the struggles of ordinary people. He edited the progressive magazine Sanskriti for more than four decades, providing a vital platform for leftist ideas. His landmark works include the three-volume Purba Banglar Bhasha Andolon o Tatkaleen Rajneeti (The Language Movement in East Bengal and Contemporary Politics) and the two-volume The Emergence of Bangladesh, both essential texts in Bangladesh’s historical research.
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