Badruddin Umar: The Unstoppable Voice of a Voiceless Era
Dr. Mahruf Chowdhury: Badruddin Umar is not merely a name in the intellectual history of Bangladesh; he represents a revolutionary current of thought. He is not just a thinker or researcher but an intellectual institution in his own right, who has long devoted himself to relentless practice of reasoning, analysis, and protest. With fearless thinking, dispassionate analysis, and a political perspective rooted in class consciousness, he has always stood for the oppressed, the marginalized, and the exploited—whether on the platform of socialist movements or in the realm of postcolonial state thought. His life reflects a continuum of thought flowing from the village to the global stage.
He was born into a distinguished progressive family with immense historical significance and rich cultural heritage. Yet, this social position never constrained his intellectual freedom. Rather, he used this inherited cultural capital as an effective tool for intellectual discipline and social transformation.
In modern intellectual history, many have compromised with the demands and conveniences of the times, become ideologically weak, or sought security near power. But Badruddin Umar is one of the rare men who have stood unshaken by doubt beside truth and justice. In this respect, he can be placed alongside committed and resistant intellectuals like Antonio Gramsci, Frantz Fanon, or Eduardo Galeano, who wielded their thoughts and writings as weapons of political resistance and liberation. In the context of Bangladesh—where a significant portion of intellectuals find self-satisfaction through patronage or favor from power—Badruddin Umar shines as a distinctive light. His uncompromising approach to thought, historical impartiality in analysis, and commitment to the struggles of reality have established him at a unique height.
I respect people not for their position or ideology, but for their humanity, moral firmness, and self-respect. Everyone has limitations; no one is above human flaws. But those who strive to transcend these limitations, who stand firm by ideals and do not fear risking life, occupy the place of my respect. Badruddin Umar is such a person to me. Naturally, there are vast differences in our beliefs, ideologies, and perspectives. Yet, what profoundly moves me about his personality is his dignified stance, intolerance towards compromise on ideals, and habit of never yielding on questions of truth and justice. In a society where so-called ‘intellectuals’ sell out their independence to power and influence, renting out their pens and voices to self-serving groups, Badruddin Umar stands as a rare exception.
From my childhood to the present, I have never seen him grovel before anyone, engage in cunning submission, or take shelter under opportunistic conformism. This steadfastness and moral steadfastness have made him one of the most respected intellectuals of our time. Just as Socrates sacrificed himself while staring into the eyes of state power, or how Vivekananda was uncompromising on the question of humanity in the Indian context, Badruddin Umar too has become a living symbol of resistance for us. He never wished to be a popular figure but remained alone, silent, and firm in truth-telling. His distinctiveness and spiritual integrity teach us that human greatness comes not from consensus but from moral firmness.
Badruddin Umar was born into an extraordinary and luminous political-cultural family, rooted in the recognition of resistance against colonial rule, self-respect, and justice-based politics. His father, Abul Hashim, was a pure and indomitable figure in Muslim politics of undivided Bengal. As one of the pioneers of the progressive Muslim League faction, he was vocal for public rights and social justice, reflected in his fiery speeches at every public gathering. His voice was not just oratory but contained theoretical elegance, political foresight, and historical responsibility, stirring the hearts of listeners. This glorious political legacy had even deeper sources of inspiration.
Badruddin Umar’s grandfather, Abul Qasem, was a sharp-witted journalist, thinker, and political activist. Graduating with a BA from Kolkata Presidency College in 1894—a symbol of educational excellence in the Muslim society of that time—his most significant role was opposing colonial rule. After the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, he resigned from the legislative council, proving that compromise on morality is not an option; resistance is the best answer. It is notable that Abul Qasem’s brother—Badruddin Umar’s uncle Abdul Jabbar—served as the Chief Minister of Bhopal, expanding the family’s political legacy across the subcontinent. In this family, politics was not merely a game of power but a moral duty, active dialogue with history, and a continuum of enlightening thought across generations.
Within this context, we understand that the firmness, ideological dedication, and intolerance of compromise in Badruddin Umar’s thought did not arise solely from individual self-confidence but from a long history, a colorful legacy, and a transformative struggle of thoughtful intellectualism. As the heir of this ancestral pride, he embarked on an extraordinary path. Where most would rest content in the glow of family heritage, he drew inspiration but built himself on a completely distinct path of struggle, sacrifice, self-questioning, and resistance. His life’s trajectory was not one of opportunistic, ladder-climbing success but a tireless, continuous intellectual awakening. He never stagnated, never sold out himself, never confined himself within the boundaries of any institution, ideology, or power.
Badruddin Umar is one of those rare thinkers who do not see intellectual practice as mere display of erudition but wield it as a weapon for social transformation. His writings are not just linguistic finesse but reflect his experience, philosophy, political stance, and worldview. Wherever he put pen to paper—from politics to literature, history to sociology—he dispassionately tried to depict firsthand life realities, social inequalities, state dysfunction, and exploitation. To borrow Sartre’s words, he was, in a sense, an “engaged intellectual” of our time—not merely an analyst but one who actively shoulders social responsibility. His thought and discourse carried the rebellion of Rambo, the class consciousness of Gramsci, and the progressive liberation aspiration of Freire.
Badruddin Umar’s life is a mirror reflecting the intellectual purity, self-purification, and self-creation of an intellectual. In that mirror, we see a personality unwavering toward truth and justice, never diverted by any government, ideology, group, or opportunism. He remained faithful to his ideals, responsible to his time, and steadfast to truth. Now, at 94 years old, Badruddin Umar stands at the threshold of life and death in a hospital intensive care unit. His frailty is not merely the physical crisis of an elderly person; it signals the possible beginning of a turning point for Bangladesh. Those of us blinded by today’s so-called “development frenzy,” whose minds are dazzled by advertising glitz and artificial hype, may not realize the terrifying void his departure would leave in our spiritual and intellectual world.
This man was the conscience of our time, a living testimony of resistance. He was at the forefront of the generation that analyzed the language movement not only as a demand for national identity but through the lens of class intentions. He viewed language as a vehicle of politics and culture as an element of class struggle. His Marxist approach to social analysis, adapted to the realities of Bengal, has become a major pillar of our intellectual geography. At a time when corporate and partisan divisions are shrinking space for self-criticism and intellectual freedom, the absence of a fearless, philosophical mind and history-conscious intellectual like Badruddin Umar sends a grave warning. His passing would not just mean the loss of a person but the end of a continuous tradition of resistance-conscious thought—a silencing of a conscientious voice.
He was not merely a historian, literary critic, or sociologist; he was our Badruddin Umar who taught generation after generation how to challenge an exploitative reality with reason, justice, and moral courage. The news of his physical weakness does not just sadden hearts; it exhales a deep sigh—has our society been able to embrace his thought, consciousness, and wisdom? Will his departure expose our spiritual poverty even more? Today, his age-related illness confronts us with a cruel reality: we are in the midst of a severe intellectual crisis. Clarity of thought, moral firmness, dedication to ideals, and courageous leadership all seem to be vanishing. When people like Badruddin Umar, who shaped their thought and life into a coherent whole, depart one after another, it is not just the end of a generation’s consciousness but a sign of cultural emptiness in free thought.
In the absence of Umar, we see a group of so-called “intellectuals” whose voices lack the courage of truth, whose considerations lack moral firmness, and whose writings lack philosophical insight or historical depth. They have become intellectual puppets swayed by opportunism—sometimes party propagandists, sometimes corporate spokespersons. Their roots are not in history, their language not of the people. Badruddin Umar was, in a sense, the resistant voice of this “crisis-marked era” whose presence brought balance to our intellectual world. As such personalities vanish one by one, society suffers a profound suffocation, what Gramsci calls an “interregnum”—the old ideals die, the new have yet to be born, and distorted alternatives of consciousness grow in the gap. Today, we stand on the threshold of that void.
Losing people like him means not just losing memories but losing conscience, direction, and courageous expression. And this void is being filled by the tired trade of thought, leased intellects, and corporate versions of ideals. Is this grim reality not enough for our self-questioning? At this moment, our heartfelt prayer is that Badruddin Umar may remain with us a little longer. May his wisdom, moral stability, and unyielding spirit shine as a small beacon in the darkness of our difficult times. We wish for him to remind us once more how to stand for the weak, oppressed, and deprived; how to spread the light of thought with courage; how to speak truth to power and exploitation with fearless honesty.
Yet we know time waits for no one. As Michael Madhusudan Dutt said, “Born, we must die; who is immortal? When will eternal silence fall, alas, on the river of life?” If his departure is indeed imminent, the question before us is: Are we ready to carry his legacy? Badruddin Umar is not just a thinker; he is a path, a vision, a moral discipline. His ideals, writings, and lifelong struggle are no longer only matters of respect; they are tests of our conscience. Can we stand by truth as he did? Can we resist exploitation and build an intellectual culture of reason and courage without succumbing to convenience? Today, this question is posed not only to intellectuals but to all citizens. Bearing Badruddin Umar’s legacy is not mere remembrance but a moral responsibility. Only by fulfilling this responsibility will we keep him alive in our consciousness, courage, and endless commitment to struggle.
If we truly respect him, our duty is not merely to remember his name but to revive his thoughts, struggles, and ideological firmness. His life and work are full of questions: How do you analyze history? On whose side do you stand in state and society? What does intellectual freedom mean? These questions must be placed before the new generation, stirred, and encouraged to seek answers. His path, his books, and his theoretical positions can become a call for awakening, a tool to respond to the inner call of new generations. Otherwise, we will merely mourn his departure, sigh deeply, but remain standing inside a void. Facing history, it will become clear that we only lamented the fall of a ‘great tree-man’ but never sowed the seeds. We reminisced but did not follow; we paid respect but did not carry the legacy. In his absence, our role will be a new test. Will we keep this legacy alive in the light of thought? Or will we let him remain a symbol of a bygone era, consumed by our silence and opportunism? How we answer this will determine Badruddin Umar’s true honor—whether he remains only in memory or also in consciousness.
Author: Dr. Mahruf Chowdhury, Visiting Faculty, University of Roehampton, UK.
