Kazi Anwar Hossain’s writing desk finds new home in Rajshahi library

A writing desk used for 34 years by legendary Bangladeshi author and publisher Kazi Anwar Hossain has found a new home in a private library in Rajshahi.

Traveller and writer Tareq Onu announced the acquisition in a post on his verified Facebook account, describing it as an “incredible gift.”

According to Tareq, Kazi used the desk for writing and editing for more than three decades, including the years when he began working on a computer.

“It is reasonable to assume that many of his masterpieces, particularly those written after he began using a computer, were created at this very desk,” he wrote.

Tareq said he had frequently visited Kazi at his home and invariably found him working at the desk.

The gift came from Masuma Maimur, whom Tareq described as a central figure in the continued survival of Sheba Prokashoni.

After learning that Tareq had fulfilled his dream of establishing a dedicated room lined with shelves of Sheba Prokashoni books, Masuma offered him the desk for his Rajshahi library.

She wanted visitors to see the desk and learn about its literary significance.

“It is not our property. It is our treasure,” Tareq wrote after bringing the desk to Rajshahi.

Kazi Anwar, who died on January 19, 2022, at the age of 85, was the creator of the iconic Bangla spy-thriller character Masud Rana, often described as Bangladesh’s answer to James Bond. 

He also founded Sheba Prokashoni, the publishing house that transformed popular reading habits in Bangladesh through affordable paperbacks, detective fiction, adventure stories and translations of world literature.

Its best-known titles include Masud Rana, Tin Goyenda and Kuasha, which introduced generations of young readers to mystery, espionage and adventure. 

Sheba itself has faced uncertainty in recent months. In May, the publisher announced a suspension of operations amid allegations of financial and management irregularities, prompting concern among its readers. 

Masuma, Kazi's daughter-in-law and an adviser to the publishing house, has been involved in efforts to revive its operations. 

“Kazi Anwar Hossain will live on for as long as we are alive, for as long as his readers are alive,” Tareq wrote.

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