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Natyaguru

NURUL MOMEN

Early Life

 

Nurul Momen was born on 25th November, 1908 in ‘Khan Bahadur lodge’ of Buraich, ALFADANGA, in JESSORE. ALFADANGA is now part of FARIDPUR. He was son of Nurul Arefin, a ZAMINDAR and physician. Nurul Momen had his primary education in CALCUTTA. In 1916, he got admission in the KHULNA Zilla School. In 1919, his first poem in form of a play, “Shondhya” (Evening), written in the same verse as TAGORE’s “Shonar Tory”, was published in a reputed journal “Dhrubotara”. Translator of Rubaiyyat’s of Omar Khaiyyam, Kanti Chandra Ghose, praised that verse-play profusely and took 10-year-old Nurul Momen in his lap. In 1920, he was enrolled in DHAKA Muslim High School. He resided in the famous Dafrin Hostel. In 1924, he matriculated obtaining 32nd position in the entire country. He then studied at Dhaka Intermediate College. Passing intermediate, he studied B.A. at the newly established Dhaka University from 1926. First Theatrical Feat He was a resident of the only Muslim hostel ‘Muslim Hall’. His dormitory was the Burdhawan House which is now the abode of the BANGLA ACADEMY. In 1927, he became the first Bangalee-Muslim student to win in several athletic events in DHAKA UNIVERSITY’s annual sports. Later that year, he was crowned as the champion at the first drama festival with all the three halls combined (Dhaka, Jagannath and Muslim) participating in it. He acted in the role of ‘Botu’ in ‘Muktodhara’ (1922), which was then a new play by TAGORE. No other muslim students took part in theatre or performing arts before that, let alone getting a prize. Through Nurul Momen, Muslim Hall participated and won in any cultural or sports activities for the first time. In 1928, only two students from the Dhaka University got First Billet Intelligence Test (later known as IQ test) prize. One was Nurul Momen and the other was BUDDHADEV BOSE. Nurul Momen passed his B.A. examination from Dhaka University in 1929. He studied M.A. in Calcutta. He studied law at the Calcutta University College passing his B.L. examination from there in 1936, following which he started practicing law at the Calcutta High Court. .

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