Kazi Nazrul Islam's biography, literature to be translated into Chinese: Dong Yuchen

Dong Yuchen, a professor at the Centre for South Asia Studies Department of Beijing Foreign Studies University, said I have translated the works of great Bengali writers including Rabindranath Tagore and Sarat Chandra into Chinese, and now I will publish the biography of the rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and his selected poems in Chinese translation.

He made this statement at a discussion, titled 'Past, Present and Future of Rabindra Studies in China', at Shaheed Munir Chowdhury Conference Room of Bangla Academy on Wednesday (March 5).

Presided over by Bangla Academy Director General Professor Mohammad Azam, the discussion was moderated by Bangla Academy Deputy Director Dr Simon Zakaria.

Dong Yuchen said, “I am a lover of Bengali language and literature. I have translated the entire work of Rabindranath into Chinese, and written a biography of Rabindranath. In addition, I have translated selected works of other great writers of Bengali literature including Sarat Chandra Bose into Chinese. Now my future plan is to write a biography of the rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and publish a Chinese translation of his selected poems.”

He said, “Every time I come to Dhaka, I go to pay my respects at Nazrul’s tomb.”

At the event, Mohammad Azam said, “Our connection with China is very old and deep. Rabindranath has made this connection more significant. At present, in order to develop China-Bangladesh relations, there is a special need for translational communication of literature between the two countries.”

He said Bangla is being taught in various universities in China, and Nazrul is also being studied along with Rabindranath.