Rezauddin Stalin is one of the most significant contemporary poets of Bangladesh, widely admired for his unique voice, experimental style, and bold exploration of human emotions. Born in 1962, he emerged during the post-liberation period, when Bangladeshi literature was going through a transition. Stalin’s poetry is marked by a fearless engagement with love, passion, desire, history, and existential dilemmas. His verses often blur the boundary between the personal and the political, weaving together intimate human feelings with broader social realities.
As a romantic and revolutionary poet, Rezauddin Stalin has been able to capture both the tenderness of human relationships and the struggles of a restless generation. His poems are rich in symbolism, layered with imagery that challenges conventional thought. He often explores themes of longing, forbidden attraction, and the eternal conflict between tradition and modernity. At the same time, his work reflects a deep awareness of Bangladesh’s socio-political context, giving his poetry a wider resonance beyond individual experience.
Apart from poetry, he is also known for his contribution to cultural activism and literary movements. Through his powerful writings and uncompromising voice, Rezauddin Stalin has earned a lasting place in modern Bengali literature, inspiring both readers and younger poets alike.
Farewell
by Rezauddin Stalin
Is every farewell a kind of death?Is return a form of rebirth?
We, the dwellers of this earth, depart—
Each destined for Koh-Kaaf’s end.
None welcomes those who return.
Their companions are bees,
They dance holding fire’s hand.
Their drink is the bitter nectar of stone.
Guides lead them toward illusion.
Their homes have no doors—
The key is lost forever.
Fearing return, the earth begins to walk again.
Its orbit shifts in the joy of parting.
Where the road ends—at the North Pole—
Narcissus stands, gazing.
Farewell is more precious than return,
And death, more meaningful than birth.
Translation : Farzana Naz Shampa
