A self-taught Bangladeshi philosopher

Aroj Ali Matubbar was a Bangladeshi philosopher, rationalist and prolific thinker. He was born on 17 December 1900 in the village of Charbaria Lamchari, about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Barisal town in British India, currently in Bangladesh.

His original name was Aroj Ali, and he only acquired the name 'Matubbar' (meaning 'local landlord') later. He was born to a poor farming family. He studied for only a few months at the village maqtab, however this brief dabble in institutional education centered only on the Quran and other Islam studies. He gathered most of his knowledge on varied subjects, including science and philosophy, through his own readings and research.

Matubbar lost his father at an early age. Soon he lost the little land he inherited. After that the destitute Matubbar grew up somehow on the charity of others and by working as a farm laborer. Due to his poverty, he could not attend school. Later a kindhearted man helped him finish the Bengali Primers.

Persevering as he was, he kept on reading more and more. To satisfy his thirst for knowledge he studied all the Bengali books in Barisal Public Library like a serious student. Philosophy as a subject interested him most, but there were not enough books in the collection there.

A teacher of philosophy at the B M College, Kazi Ghulam Quadir, was impressed by his depth of knowledge and understanding, so he helped him borrow books from the college library. This was how his mind was shaped. Matubbar was a rationalist and humanist who fought against ignorance, superstition, and religious fundamentalism. He was considered an iconoclast for writing against religious doctrines.

He wrote several books despite his lack of formal schooling. His writings reflect his controversial philosophy about life and the world. He also befriended a number of communist politicians and academics of Barisal town, including Professor Kazi Golam Kadir and Professor Muhammad Shamsul Haque. His books were always in danger of being banned by the government. Matubbar was arrested and taken into police custody for his book, Sotyer Shondhaney (The Quest for Truth). He was, in fact, subjected to harassment and threats throughout his life, due to his writings, as many of them challenged religious statements and claims.

He was an unusual type of writer. Because of his rural background, it was not possible on his part to remove the darkness covering his society, but with the dim torch he held, he tried to see the truth, wherever he could, without fear or doubt. In Bangladesh, his writings were censored. Following are his notable writings: Shotter Shondhaney (The Quest for Truth) (1973), Sristir Rahasya (The Mystery of Creation) (1977), Anuman (Estimation) (1983), Muktaman (Free Mind) (1988) etc. Several of his unpublished manuscripts were later published posthumously under the title of Aroj Ali Matubbar Rachanabali. Some of his writings have been translated into English and compiled in a volume published by Pathak Samabesh.

He died on 15 March 1985 in Barisal, Bangladesh. He donated his eyes for transplantation after his death. He donated his body which was received by the Anatomy Department of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and used for dissection by the medical students. After his death in 1985, Aroj Ali Matubbar came to be regarded as one of the most prolific thinkers that rural Bangladesh ever produced, and an iconoclast who was not afraid of speaking out against entrenched beliefs and superstitions.