Great Bangalees  

Michael Madhusudan Datta (1824-1873): Deconstructed the myth of Aryan apotheosis ( Ramayana) in his epic (the first Bangla epic) Meghnath Badh where the protagonist is an indigenous hero, Meghnath. Also exposed the values  upheld by Aryan warlords. Introduced sonnet form in Bangla poetry. 

Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899-1976). Burdwan, West Bengal. Great Dionysian poet and composer. Poet of rebellion. Forms: shyama sangeet, keertan, leto songs Works. Sanchita, Samyo, Manush, Rikter Bedan.

Jiban Ananda Das Modernist poet. Banalata Sen, (1899-1954).

Shakti Chattopadhyay

Buddha Deb Basu (1908-1974): Modernist poet, literary critic. Works: Poems: Sonnets for 3 A.M., Frogs, Two Poems from Bandir Bandana, The Moment of Creation, Now The Battle is Against The World, Rain and Wind, To a Dead Woman, The End (poem of Sudhindranath, tr. by BB) Books: Bandir Bandana, Tagore: Portrait of A Poet (Eng), An Acre of Green Grass (Eng), Three Mahabharata Verse Plays (Eng; tr. by Kanak Kanti De), Mahabharater Katha, Kabi Rabindranath, The Book of Yudhisthir (Eng); tr. by Sujit M), An Anthology of Bengali Writing (English), Rain Through the Night (Eng; tr. by Clinton Seely), Desh Deshaantarer Kabita, Pata Jhare Jai o Anyanya Natak, Nepathya Natak / Kath Thokra, Sab Pyechhir Deshe, Mayaa-Malancha, Ek Briddher Daayeri,Sanga: Nisangata RabIndranaath, Saahitya-Charcha, Prabandha Sankalan, Shreshta Kabita (Ed: Naresh Guha), 'Kabita' - Jibanaananda Smriti Sankhya -(Ed. BB), Amar Chhelebela, Amar Yauban

Sunil Gangopadhyay (1934): love, nostalgia. Keu Katha Rakhe Ni

Shamsur Rahman (24 Oct 1929, Dhaka). Champion of liberty, liberation war, secularism, humanism and anti fundamentalism. Poet Rahman has been an active participant, physically and intellectually, in all nationalist and humanist movements. For his commitment to secularism and humanism, he has been in the hit list of the  Islamic fundamentalists for decades and was victim of their brutal attack several times. Shamsur Rahman is indisputably the greatest living poet of Bangladesh, with more than sixty books of poetry to his credit.  Shamsur Rahman did his Honors in English literature from Dhaka University. He had a long career as a journalist and was the Editor of a national daily, Dainik Bangla. He has won numerous awards including Bangla Academy Award (1969), Ekushey Padak (1977), and Swadhinata Award (1991).

Jashim Uddin. Poet of rural Bangladesh

Hasan Hafizur Rahman (14 Jun 1931, Zamalpur): Language movement, liberation war. Edited some volumes of the history of liberation war.

Nirmelendu Goon, Mymensingh. Socialism, Marxism, anti colonialism, liberation war, revolution. Nirbachita

Abu Zafar Obaidullah, Barisal 1934. Language movement, liberation war, love

Syed Shamsul Haque (25 Dec 1935, Rangpur) Language movement, liberation war, love, amorous poetry

Lalan Fakir (1774-1890)

Mukunda Das: Swadeshi gaan (Barisal 1878-1949)

Hason Raja, Sylhet

Ustad Alauddin Khan

Shachin Deb Barman

Abbas Uddin

Mansur Uddin

Salil Chaudhury

Gauri Prasanna Majumder

Pulak Bandopahyay

Bhupen Hazarika

Suchitra Mitra

Abdul Latif, Raypasha, Barisal, 1930

Altaf Mahmud, Muladi, Barisal, 23 Dec 1930 killed on 28 Aug 197, Language Movement

Ajoy Chakrobarty

Shahabuddin Ahmed. Dhaka 1950. Fought in the liberation war as a Platoon Commander. Graduated in Fine Arts from Bangladesh College of Arts & Crafts. Later had his advanced studies in France. Shahabuddin is now rated among 50 masters of contemporary arts. 

Satyen Sen (Udichi)

Ranesh Dasgupta (Udichi)