Published: 12:55 AM, 11 July 2026
Mohammad Abdul Hye’s Bonge Farsi Bhasha O Shahitto Chorchar Itihash: An Encyclopedic Masterpiece
Bonge Farsi Bhasha O Shahitto Chorchar Itihash (The History of the Studies of Persian Language and Literature in Bengal) is a newly published scholarly work by distinguished writer and researcher Dr. Mohammad Abdul Hye. Released in April 2026, the book has been published by Academia Publishing House Limited (APL). The elegant cover has been designed by Akibur Rahman and the book is priced at Tk 1,200.
The volume is dedicated to the eminent educationist, writer, researcher, former Vice-Chancellor of the Islamic University, Kushtia and former Director General of Bangla Academy, Professor Dr. Rashid Askari.
Dr. Mohammad Abdul Hye has authored more than thirty research-based books during his distinguished career. He may rightly be described as a researcher by vocation. This latest publication stands among the finest achievements of his scholarly life. After two years of painstaking research and unwavering dedication, he has produced a work that fills a long-standing gap in Bengali scholarship on Persian language and literature.
The book comprises thirteen comprehensive chapters and three appendices, each exploring a distinct dimension of Bengal’s centuries-old engagement with Persian civilization.
The thirteen chapters include:
The Arrival of Islam in Bengal and the Background of Persian Learning among Muslims
Summaries of Significant Persian Works Published in Bengal
Persian Literary Practices among Medieval Muslim Scholars
From Shiraz to Sonargaon: The First State-Level Initiative in Bengal–Iran Relations
Persian Learning in Bengal during the Mughal Era (1526–1857)
Persian Studies among British Civilians in India (1784–1838)
The East India Company’s Administrative Perspective on Persian and the Role of Calcutta Alia Madrasa
Persian Language and Literary Studies among Bengali Hindus
Persian Studies in West Bengal and Bangladesh: A Comparative Review
The Influence of Persian on the Bengali Language
The Five Immortal Persian Poets in World Literature
A Comparative Discussion of Persian and Bengali Literature (1800–2024)
Persian Themes in Bengali Literature and the Tradition of Persian Studies in Bengal
The three appendices are equally valuable:
Persia through the Eyes of Rabindranath and Nazrul’s Love for Persia
The Landscape of Persian Studies in Educational Institutions across Bangladesh
The Role of the Iranian Cultural Centre in Dhaka in Promoting Persian Studies in Bangladesh
Reading this remarkable book, one cannot help but appreciate how lucidly and systematically the author narrates the long and fascinating history of Persian language and literature. He skillfully demonstrates how Persian flourished in Bengal, how profoundly it shaped the Bengali language and intellectual tradition, and how generations of people in this region benefited from Persian literary and cultural heritage.
This book offers readers a clear and accessible understanding of one of the world’s oldest and richest literary traditions, spanning nearly twelve centuries. To the best of my knowledge by reading this book, this is the first comprehensive and methodically organized study in Bangladesh devoted exclusively to the history of Persian language and literature. It is, without doubt, a pioneering contribution to Bengali scholarship.
The book has been recommended as suggested reading at three of Bangladesh’s leading universities: the University of Dhaka, the University of Rajshahi and the University of Chittagong.
Recently, UNESCO recognized Persian as the world’s only ‘classical language’ that continues to thrive as a living and widely spoken language. For more than six and a half centuries, Persian served as the language of administration, law, judiciary and culture across Bengal.
Throughout the Indian subcontinent, Persian has long occupied an esteemed position in higher education, with departments of Persian Language and Literature established at Alia Madrasas and numerous universities. In independent Bangladesh, Persian Studies continues to be offered at the University of Dhaka, the University of Chittagong, the University of Rajshahi and Khulna University.
One of the most celebrated Persian inscriptions displayed at the United Nations Headquarters proclaims: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
According to the Indo-Aryan migration theory, the Aryans began migrating from the Central Asian steppes into the Iranian plateau around 1500 BCE. The interaction between the indigenous inhabitants and the migrating Aryans gradually gave rise to a new linguistic and cultural tradition that eventually evolved into what we now know as Persian. Over the course of history, Persian has established itself as one of the world’s richest and most enduring languages, preserving its literary excellence and cultural vitality across millennia.
The historical evolution of Persian may be divided into four major stages:
Avestan
Old Persian
Pahlavi (Middle Persian)
Modern Persian
Modern Persian emerged during the eighth century CE. Following a series of decisive battles between the forces of the last Sasanian emperor, Yazdegerd III (643–652 CE) and the armies of the second Caliph, Hazrat Umar (RA), Iran came under Muslim rule. As Islam spread rapidly across Persia, the linguistic landscape also underwent a profound transformation. Gradually, the Pahlavi language evolved into Modern Persian while incorporating a substantial Arabic vocabulary and script.
The historical relationship between Bengal and Persia can be traced back to the Bengal Sultanate. One of the earliest milestones in these diplomatic and cultural ties was Sultan Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah’s invitation to the renowned Persian poet Shamsuddin Muhammad Hafez to visit Sonargaon, symbolizing a remarkable chapter in Bengal-Iran relations.
The pioneer of modern Persian studies in the Indian subcontinent was Dr. Muhammad Iqbal. His landmark doctoral thesis, The Development of Metaphysics in Persia: A Contribution to the History of Muslim Philosophy, remains one of the most influential scholarly works on the intellectual, literary and civilizational contributions of Persia to Islamic thought and world civilization.
One of the book’s most fascinating chapters, Persian Language and Literary Studies among Bengali Hindus, demonstrates that during the Mughal period, when Persian functioned as the official language of administration, Bengali Hindus were no less engaged in Persian learning than Muslims. Like their Muslim counterparts, Hindu people traditionally began reading with the invocation ‘Bismillah.’ The Bengali idiom ‘Bismillay Golod’ (a mistake at the very beginning) stands as a lasting linguistic reminder of that shared cultural tradition—a fact documented by the eminent linguist Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah.
The very concept of ‘World Literature’ was introduced by the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who coined the term ‘Weltliteratur.’ Before Goethe, literature was generally understood within the boundaries of individual languages or nations. Persian literature, however, has secured a permanent place in the canon of world literature through the immortal contributions of five towering poets:Abul Qasem Ferdowsi
Omar Khayyam
Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi
Sheikh Muslihuddin Sa’di
Shamsuddin Muhammad Hafez
Their timeless works continue to transcend geographical, linguistic and cultural boundaries, enriching the literary heritage of humanity.
In the book’s first appendix, Persia through Rabindranath’s Eyes and Nazrul’s Love for Persia, the author presents a fascinating account of Rabindranath Tagore’s deep admiration for Persian civilization. During his remarkable lifespan of eighty years and three months, Tagore produced an immense body of literary works, among which Persia remains one of his most significant travel narratives.
Having visited thirty-five countries during fourteen overseas journeys, Tagore travelled to Iran in 1932 at the age of seventy-one and spent twenty-three memorable days there, from 17 April to 9 May. His observations reveal not only his admiration for Persia’s rich cultural heritage but also his profound appreciation of its history, literature and people.
Bangladesh’s National Poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam, was equally captivated by Persian culture. His poetry is richly adorned with Arabic and particularly, Persian vocabulary, reflecting the profound influence of Persian literary tradition on his creative imagination. Nazrul possessed a sound knowledge of the Persian language and translated the works of Jalaluddin Rumi, Hafez, and Omar Khayyam directly from the original Persian texts, a remarkable testament to his linguistic mastery and literary vision.
Although many of the world’s leading universities today maintain academic programmes under titles such as Iranian Studies, Oriental Studies, Persian Studies, Persian Cultural Studies, Iranology and Departments of Persian Language and Literature, the teaching and research of Persian in Bangladesh remain comparatively limited despite the country’s deep historical, cultural, and civilizational ties with Iran. Given this shared heritage, there is an urgent need for policymakers, universities and cultural institutions to take effective measures to expand Persian studies and research in Bangladesh.
Drawing on my reading of the book, I can state with confidence that Mohammad Abdul Hye has masterfully transformed this work into a comprehensive encyclopedia of the Persian language and its literary tradition. It is a monumental work that combines historical depth, literary insight and meticulous scholarship in a manner rarely seen in Bengali academic writing. The author’s lucid prose, extensive documentation and comprehensive treatment of the subject make the book an indispensable resource for researchers, students and general readers alike.
I wholeheartedly wish this outstanding book the wide readership and recognition it richly deserves. I conclude with a tribute to the enduring and far-reaching legacy of the Persian language:
“O wondrous Persian language, no words of mine can fully capture your glory; whatever I say in your praise falls far short of all that you truly deserve.”
Emran Emon is an eminent
journalist, columnist and
Editor of Saturday Post. He
can be reached at [email protected]
