Abu Ishaque

In 1950, during the era of Pakistan (present Bangladesh), counterfeit currency suddenly started flooding the market. The entire administration was paralyzed. There was no way to stop the production of these counterfeit notes. A gentleman, then working as an Assistant Superintendent of Police, was assigned to investigate several cases related to these counterfeit notes. Eventually, he solved these cases.

This police officer was, in fact, a fiction writer. He had already written a novel titled 'The Long Sun House' (Shurjo dighol Bari) by August 1948. However, due to the lack of a publisher for four years, he was understandably disheartened. So, he thought that writing a detective novel might attract readers. Based on the counterfeit note cases, he finally completed this novel in 1954. The novel was titled 'Fake' (Jaal). However, this novel was published 34 years later.

The author's name was Abu Ishaque. He is a legendary fiction writer. But is he any less a lexicographer? His 'Contemporary Bengali Dictionary' contains a staggering 127 synonyms for the word 'darkness' alone!   

He is also a pioneer of short stories in Bengali literature. Abu Ishaq's works provide a testament to his ability to skillfully depict the harsh realities and delicate lives of rural Bengal. 'The Long Sun House' will forever remain one of the greatest novels in Bengali literature. It's astonishing to think that he wrote such a novel at the tender age of 21.

Regarding the background of 'The Long Sun House,' he said, 'I was working in Civil Supplies and was posted in Narayanganj. While traveling to Dhaka by train, I would often see people sitting on the train floor, each carrying a bag. Where were they going? They were going to Mymensingh, buying rice from there, and selling it at a higher price in Narayanganj. This was their livelihood. Their names might not have been Jaygun or something like that...

But what's the connection between them and the 'Long Sun House'?

That's a different matter. Seeing them gave me a plot for a story. I tried to think, why do they work so hard to travel between Narayanganj and Mymensingh every day? It means they couldn't find any means in the village. So, they left their homes. They were not begging, they were working, but their daily commute, sitting on the train floor without tickets, enduring the scolding of ticket checkers, all of this showed that they hadn't led a normal life, hadn't found suitable work, and perhaps couldn't even stay in their village. Were they migrants or displaced? No one willingly leaves their home. That's when the name 'The Long Sun House' came to my mind.

'Long Sun' refers to a house in the village that is built east-west. In my grandfather's village, there was such a house. The village houses are generally built north-south because people believe that those who live in a 'long sun' house cannot prosper, cannot move forward, cannot survive, and lose in the battle of life. I thought, if I take these women and place them in that 'long sun' house in my grandfather's village, what would happen?'

We were introduced to the world of short stories through his stories during our childhood. 'Mahapatanga' and 'The leech' (Jok) are two such wonderful short stories that left a lasting impression on our childhood.

He was successful in both his literary and professional life. He was the head of the Khulna division of the National Security Intelligence Agency. He was also a Vice-Consul and First Secretary at the Bangladesh Embassy in Kolkata. Personally, he was very humble.

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