Being one of the prominent figures among even several Poets of the nineteen seventies, Poet Abu Karim turned out to be able to go a long way in quest of the self en route to the destination- the enjoyment of the reader of Bangla Poetry. His prophetic pronouncement that was, even from very early years of his flourishing around, ever present in his poems, still offers different tastes with frequently changing contexts.

Selecting one hundred poems from the collected poems by Abu Karim is always a very tough task to do. And tougher it turns when the poet gives one the absolute liberty in such a respect. For a wider range of readers the poet has had one hundred poems translated into English.

‘100 poems of Abu Karim’ is an anthology selected independently by the translator Dulal Al Monsur. The translator picked up poems from ‘Kabita Shamagro’ which was published in February 2002 that means this anthology is not representing poet Abu Karim’s later poems. The translator is not a poet and he is also not a English- speaking person, these are obvious limitations of this publication, but Dulal Al Monsur took great pain to translate these poems and he has done a good job.

Poet Abu Karim was born on 12 September 1953 at Mahutola, under the district of Noakhali. From the very early stage of his academic life to the last point he has shown a bright future in the fields of life ahead. For his father’s public service in Bangladesh Railway he had the opportunity to see and enjoy the whole country along with gathering wisdom concerning human society. He passed the SSC examinations on 1969 in first division, though as an extraordinarily talented student, he had expected much higher. From Chittagong College he passed HSC examinations with distinction in 1972. The same year he got admitted in Dhaka University to study Bangla Literature. He worked as a journalist in the Daily Gonkontho. In 1981 he joined the civil service starting the post of Assistant Commissioner. He has traveled Italy, United Arab Emirats, USA, UK, Canada, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Norway and many other countries of the world. He served as secretary to the government in the Rural Development and Co-operatives Division. He was Information Secretary for a short period. He has published many books of poetry, short stories and novels. His work includes poltoney Abar Jonoshova Hobey (There will Be Meeting at polton Again) (1984); Joleyr Neechey Shuey Achi, Saya (I Am Lying Under Water : A Shadow)(1993); Tilokeyer Mati (The Soil of Sandal Paste) (1993); Jokhon Tumi Ghorey Firbey (When you will Come Back Home) (1993); Ur Tobey Ur (Get up Now Get up) (1997); Jatra (The Journey) (1999); Bonsai (2002)- all these are books of poetry. He has also written four novels : Nouko Jibon (Boat Life) (1995); and Bela Jaye (Time Passes) (2001), Meghabaham (2004) and Mangshashi (2008) and a collection of short stories : Behester Blue Printey Rackto Korobi (Racto Karobi in the Blue Print of Heaven (1990).

Translator : Dulal Al Monsur born on 10 January 1971 at Puranchar, Santhia in Pabna, completed B A (Hons) and M A in English from Rajshahi University. He has worked at Mirzapur Cadet College and Pabna Cadet College and now is teaching English at Dhaka Commerce College. His publication includes translation of Robber Bonhur (Bengla-English) by Romena Afaz, Kaddis for a Child not Born (English-Bangla) by Imre Kertesze, Witgenstein’s Nephew (English-Bangla) by Thomas Bernhard, The Art of the Novel (English-Bangla) by Milan Kundera, and Decolonising the Mind (English-Bangla) by Ngugi wa Thiong’o.