Syed Najmuddin Hashim

Syed Najmuddin Hashim (1925-1999) had his early schooling at St. Xavier’s Convent and St. Gregory’s High School. He completed his Intermediate from Dhaka Intermediate College and B.A. Honours in English Language and Literature from Presidency College, Calcutta (where he received the Prince Dwarkanath Memorial Medal for the best essay paper in the examination). Journalist, diplomat, editor and broadcaster, he served the government of Pakistan and later of independent Bangladesh in various capacities. He was Minister of Information (1982-84) as well as the ambassador of Bangladesh to Burma (now Myanmar), Singapore, USSR, Finland and Mongolia. Among his various publications are Bandishala Pakistan, Asleshar Rakhyoshi Belay, and Shomuddyoto Daibo Durbipakey. He also translated two of Abu Zafar Obaidullah’s poems In Prayer for Rains and The Brave of Heart and selections from Shamsur Rahman's In The Devotee, The Combatant: Selected Poems of Shamsur Rahman.