Abdullah Al-Muti: Eso Bigganer Rajje and Inspiring Science in Young Minds
The Education Extension Center and a Fateful Encounter
In the residential quarters of the Education Extension Center behind Dhaka College, a curious child once spent afternoons playing in the lush, open compound. One afternoon, visiting the home of his childhood friend Jamil, the boy was warmly summoned into the living room by Jamil’s father, an educator and scholar of gentle demeanor.
“Can you read Bengali yet?” the gentleman inquired with an affectionate smile. When the hesitant child nodded, the scholar placed an attractively illustrated book into his hands and asked him to spell out the title. Letter by letter, the young boy read aloud: Eso Bigganer Rajje (“Come to the Realm of Science”). Pleased by the boy’s effort, the smiling host gifted the book to him on the spot.
Turning to the title page, the child was amazed to discover that the author was none other than his friend’s father: Dr. Abdullah Al-Muti Sharfuddin. That unforgettable gift became an enduring gateway into the wonders of scientific inquiry.
The Literary Marvel of ‘Eso Bigganer Rajje’
Published in the mid-twentieth century, Eso Bigganer Rajje became a landmark milestone in South Asian vernacular science literature. Before Abdullah Al-Muti, scientific writing in Bengali was frequently bogged down by rigid academic jargon and cumbersome Latinate transliterations that intimidated young readers.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Muti revolutionized popular science writing by adopting a lucid, conversational, and poetic prose style. He transformed complex concepts—from the mechanics of steam engines and the formation of clouds to the mysteries of atoms and cosmic galaxies—into thrilling adventures of discovery that captivated children and adults alike.
A Life Dedicated to Science Popularization
Dr. Abdullah Al-Muti Sharfuddin (1930–1998) was an esteemed educationist, public servant, and author who authored more than two dozen acclaimed popular science books. Among his celebrated titles are Abak Prithibi (“Amazing Earth”), Bikironer Shondhane (“In Search of Radiation”), Biponno Poribesh (“Endangered Environment”), and Biggan O Manush (“Science and Humanity”).
His tireless advocacy for educational reform and science literacy earned him widespread national and international honors. Notably, in 1983, he was awarded the prestigious UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the popularization of science—becoming the first Bengali scholar to receive this distinguished global honor.
Igniting Curiosity Across Generations
Through gentle personal encounters and brilliant literary prose, Abdullah Al-Muti opened the doors of the scientific universe for countless generations of Bengali-speaking readers, proving that the greatest catalyst for lifelong curiosity is simply putting the right book into the hands of a child.
