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Kaiser Haq

Brief Biography - Kaiser Haq (1950 – Present)  Kaiser Haq was born on 7 December 1950 in Dhaka. He is one of Bangladesh’s leading English-language poets, translators, and essayists, and was a professor in the Department of English at the Univ...

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About Kaiser Haq

Life, Works, and Legacy

Brief Biography - Kaiser Haq (1950 – Present)  Kaiser Haq was born on 7 December 1950 in Dhaka. He is one of Bangladesh’s leading English-language poets, translators, and essayists, and was a professor in the Department of English at the University of Dhaka. After completing his SSC from Dhaka College, he studied English at the University of Dhaka and later earned his PhD from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom as a Commonwealth Scholar. He served as a lieutenant in the Liberation War of 1971, an experience that deeply shaped his personality and poetry. Among his notable poetry collections are Pariah and Other Poems, Black Orchid, and Published in the Streets of Dhaka. He translated the works of major Bengali poets such as Jibanananda Das, Lalon Fakir, and Shamsur Rahman into English, making them accessible to international readers. In 2013, he received the Bangla Academy Literary Award (Translation Category). His poetry blends Bangladeshi life, culture, history, political tensions, and personal observation. He is currently alive and actively engaged in writing and research in the literary world.   Details of Kaiser Haq
  • Birth: 7 December 1950 ✪✪✪
  • Parents: (Father) — Name not widely recorded; (Mother) — Name not widely recorded
  • Wife: Dipa Haq (m. 1976; died 1999). Syeda Zinath Haq (Shumi) (m. 2001)
  • Children: Raina Haq
  • Birth Place: Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • Profession: Poet, Translator, Literary Critic, Professor
  • Nationality: Bangladeshi ✪✪✪
Education:
  • SSC from St. Gregory the Great High School and HSC from Dhaka College.
  • BA (Hons) and MA in English from the University of Dhaka
  • PhD from the University of Warwick, UK (Commonwealth Scholar)
Titles (Nicknames / Literary Identity) 
  • The Leading English-Language Poet of Bangladesh
Literary Period 
  • Kaiser Haq belongs to the Post-Independence Bangladeshi English Literature era. His writings reflect themes of war, identity, urban life, and cross-cultural experience. He is considered a Modern and Postmodern poet. He blends Bangladeshi reality with global poetic techniques.
Literary Characteristics / Features of His Writing
  • War Memory: As a freedom fighter (Second Lieutenant in 1971), his poems often reflect war, trauma, courage, and national identity.
  • Cultural Reflection: His work blends Bangladeshi streets, daily life, society, and politics with English poetic language.
  • Clear, Modern Language: He writes in a simple, sharp, modern English style while keeping a local Bangladeshi flavor.
  • Symbolism & Satire: His poems often use humor, irony, and symbolic images to comment on society.
  • East-West Fusion: Strong sense of cultural exchange, showing both Bengali roots and international literary influences.
  • Urban Realism: Dhaka’s life, noise, crowd, history, and beauty appear often in his poems.
Major Literary Works Poetry Collections
  • Pariah and Other Poems (2013) ✪✪✪
  • Published in the Streets of Dhaka: Collected Poems 1966–2006 (2007) ✪✪✪
  • Black Orchid (2001)
Major Translations: Kaiser Haq translated many major Bengali writers into English:
  • Shamsur Rahman
  • Jehanara Arju
  • Lalon Fakir
  • Jibanananda Das (selected works)
His translations helped introduce Bangla poetry to world readers. Prose & Essays
  • Essays on modern Bangladeshi literature
  • Critical writings on poetry and translation
  • Academic research in English and comparative literature
Awards and Recognition
  • Bangla Academy Literary Award (Translation Category, 2013) 
  • Recognized internationally for English-language poetry from South Asia
Role in Academia
  • Professor of English at the University of Dhaka
  • Faculty member at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB)
  • Taught Creative Writing, Modern Poetry, and Translation Studies
Themes in Kaiser Haq’s Writing 
  • War and Freedom
  • Identity and Language
  • Urban Life and Social Reality
  • Memory and History
  • Cultural Conflict and Harmony
  • Humor and Irony
Style & Language
  • Clear, simple modern English
  • Strong rhythm and vivid imagery
  • Use of satire and cultural symbolism
  • A mix of personal experience and national history