Bande Ali Mia (17 January 1906 – 27 June 1979) was a Bangladeshi poet, lyricist, novelist, dramatist, essayist, children’s writer and journalist.
He passed the Entrance examination (1923) from Majumder Academy in Pabna and studied painting (1927) at the Indian Art Academy in Kolkata. For some time he worked as a journalist in the magazine Islam Darshan, and then taught at a Calcutta Corporation school (1930-1950). He subsequently moved to East Pakistan, where he worked at the dhaka and rajshahi radio stations.
Bande Ali Mia wrote in a variety of genres such as poetry, novel, play, biography and children’s literature. His noteworthy books include poetry anthologies, Mainamatir Char (1930), Anurag (1932), Padmanadir Char (1953), Madhumatir Char (1953), and Dharitri (1975); novels, Basanta Jagrata Dvare (1931), Shes Lagna (1941), Aranya Godhuli (1949), and Nidbhrasta (1958); an anthology of short stories, Taser Ghar (1954); a play, Masnad (1931); juvenile literature, Chor Jamai (1927), Meghkumari (1932), Bagher Ghare Ghoger Basa (1932), Sonar Harin (1939), Shiyal Panditer Pathshala (1956), Kunchbaran Kanya (1961), and Sat Rajyer Galpa (1977); and biographies, Kamal Ataturk (1937), Sharat Chandra and Chhotoder Nazrul (1958). Bande Ali Mia also worked as a graphic artist and designer. For his contribution to children’s literature he was awarded the Bangla Academy Prize (1962), President’s Award (1965) and Uttara Sahitya Majlis Padak (1977).
He died in Rajshahi on 17 June 1979.
The house of poet Bande Ali Mia “Kabi Kunjo” is located in Radhanagar of Pabna city. Here he lies in eternal rest. After the death of the poet, the poet’s homestead is about to be destroyed due to negligence. The poet’s work is being destroyed. We demand to preserve the memories left by the poet under government patronage and present them to the future generations.