Farida Majid
- September 28, 2021
- 79 years
About Farida Majid
Farida Majid, 79, Bangladeshi poet, translator, and academic, cancer.
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Full Biography
|Farida Majid (27 July 1942 – 28 September 2021) was a Bangladeshi poet, translator, and academic.
Part of the first generation of Bangladeshi writers producing English-language work, Majid was an influential member of the London literary scene in the 1970s, when she ran the independent Salamander press. She then spent two decades as a professor of language and culture in New York before returning to Bangladesh in her later years.
Early life and education
Farida Majid was born in 1942 in Kolkata, India. Her mother, Jochna, was the eldest daughter of the Bengali writer Golam Mostofa. Majid began writing at a young age, and her poet grandfather encouraged and guided her early work. She published her first poem at age 10 in a Bengali newspaper called The Age.
After completing grade school, she first attended Eden Mohila College, a women's college at the University of Dhaka, where she studied chemistry. However, after a year she met and married the American architect Robert Boughey, with whom she moved to the United States. There, she studied English literature at New York University. After five years in the United States in which her marriage fell apart, she resettled in London in 1971, where she became deeply involved in the city's literary scene, regularly hosting salons in her Chelsea apartment throughout the 1970s.
Career
Majid is best known for her work as a poet, essayist, and translator. She is considered a member of the first generation of Bangladeshi writers in English.
A prolific poet, throughout her career she published both poetry and essays in various periodicals, but only published one book of her own writing, the poetry collection Ganda Phuler Proyan o Jara Benche Thakbe.
In addition to her own work, she translated Bangladeshi literature, including the writing of such authors as Humayun Azad, into English, as well as English literature into Bengali. She also translated from Arabic to Bengali, including parts of the Quran. In 1974, she worked as an editor and translator to produce the anthology Take Me Home, Rickshaw: Poems by Contemporary Poets of Bangladesh. She also edited a 1977 collection of English-language poems titled Thursday Evening Anthology.
From 1974 to 1980, Majid served as managing editor of the London-based publisher Salamander. She also ran its eponymous literary magazine, which published essays, poetry, fiction, and works in translation.
However, in late 1979 she was forced to leave the United Kingdom, having been denied residency by British authorities despite a support campaign by various influential figures including the poet Ted Hughes. She moved to the United States, as she retained U.S. citizenship due to her previous marriage. There, she took up various teaching posts in the New York area, including at Columbia University, where she taught Bengali language and literature from 1984 to 1989; the City University of New York, where she taught language, writing, and cultural studies from 1991 to 2005; and the College of New Rochelle. While at the City University of New York, she taught at the Hostos Community College, LaGuardia Community College and York College.
Activism
Majid was active in anti-Pakistan protests in London during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. She was also involved with the Nirmul Committee, which sought justice for the violence committed against Bangladeshis during the war.
Later years and death
After four decades abroad, Majid returned to Bangladesh in 2006. She died in September 2021, while undergoing cancer treatment in Dhaka. On her death, fellow poet Razu Alauddin described her as a writer and academic who was "way ahead of her time."
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
16 Verified Trivia Questions About Farida Majid
Every question below is stored in the archive and checked against Farida Majid's record and biography. The correct answer and the reasoning behind it are given with each question.
1.In what city was Farida Majid born?
- A.KolkataCorrect
- B.New York
- C.London
- D.Dhaka
Farida Majid was born in 1942 in Kolkata, India.
Source: Early life and education section
2.Who was Farida Majid's grandfather who encouraged her early work?
- A.Golam MostofaCorrect
- B.Ted Hughes
- C.Robert Boughey
- D.Humayun Azad
Farida Majid's mother was the daughter of the Bengali writer Golam Mostofa, who guided her early work.
Source: Early life and education section
3.At what age did Farida Majid publish her first poem?
- A.15
- B.10Correct
- C.8
- D.12
Farida Majid published her first poem at age 10 in a Bengali newspaper called The Age.
Source: Early life and education section
4.What subject did Farida Majid study while attending Eden Mohila College?
- A.English literature
- B.Bengali literature
- C.ChemistryCorrect
- D.Cultural studies
Farida Majid attended Eden Mohila College where she studied chemistry.
Source: Early life and education section
5.In which city did Farida Majid regularly host literary salons during the 1970s?
- A.Kolkata
- B.New York
- C.Dhaka
- D.LondonCorrect
After moving to London in 1971, Farida Majid regularly hosted literary salons in her Chelsea apartment throughout the 1970s.
Source: Early life and education section
6.What is the title of the only book of her own writing that Farida Majid published?
- A.The Age
- B.Ganda Phuler Proyan o Jara Benche ThakbeCorrect
- C.Thursday Evening Anthology
- D.Take Me Home, Rickshaw
Farida Majid published only one book of her own writing, the poetry collection Ganda Phuler Proyan o Jara Benche Thakbe.
Source: Career section
7.Which author did Farida Majid translate into English?
- A.Golam Mostofa
- B.Ted Hughes
- C.Humayun AzadCorrect
- D.Razu Alauddin
Farida Majid translated Bangladeshi literature, including the writing of Humayun Azad, into English.
Source: Career section
8.What role did Farida Majid hold at the London-based publisher Salamander from 1974 to 1980?
- A.Founder
- B.Literary consultant
- C.Editor-in-Chief
- D.Managing editorCorrect
Farida Majid served as managing editor of the London-based publisher Salamander from 1974 to 1980.
Source: Career section
9.Which influential figure campaigned to help Farida Majid stay in the United Kingdom in 1979?
- A.Humayun Azad
- B.Ted HughesCorrect
- C.Robert Boughey
- D.Razu Alauddin
Farida Majid was supported by various figures including poet Ted Hughes when she was denied residency in the UK.
Source: Career section
10.At which institution did Farida Majid teach Bengali language and literature from 1984 to 1989?
- A.College of New Rochelle
- B.Columbia UniversityCorrect
- C.University of Dhaka
- D.City University of New York
Farida Majid taught Bengali language and literature at Columbia University from 1984 to 1989.
Source: Career section
11.In what year did Farida Majid return to live in Bangladesh after four decades abroad?
- A.2021
- B.2005
- C.2006Correct
- D.1991
After four decades abroad, Farida Majid returned to Bangladesh in 2006.
Source: Later years and death section
12.What specific subject did Farida Majid teach at the City University of New York between 1991 and 2005?
- A.Political science
- B.Bengali literature
- C.Language, writing, and cultural studiesCorrect
- D.Chemistry
At the City University of New York, Farida Majid taught language, writing, and cultural studies from 1991 to 2005.
Source: Career section
13.Farida Majid was involved with which organization that sought justice for war crimes committed during the 1971 war?
- A.Salamander Press
- B.The Chelsea Salons
- C.The Nirmul CommitteeCorrect
- D.The Thursday Evening Group
Farida Majid was involved with the Nirmul Committee, which sought justice for the violence committed against Bangladeshis during the war.
Source: Activism section
14.What language did Farida Majid translate into Bengali besides English literature?
- A.Spanish
- B.French
- C.ArabicCorrect
- D.German
Farida Majid also translated from Arabic to Bengali, including parts of the Quran.
Source: Career section
15.What was the cause of Farida Majid's death in 2021?
- A.A stroke
- B.CancerCorrect
- C.A heart attack
- D.Old age
Farida Majid died in September 2021 while undergoing cancer treatment in Dhaka.
Source: Later years and death section
16.Who described Farida Majid as a writer and academic who was 'way ahead of her time'?
- A.Razu AlauddinCorrect
- B.Humayun Azad
- C.Ted Hughes
- D.Robert Boughey
Fellow poet Razu Alauddin described Farida Majid as a writer and academic who was way ahead of her time.
Source: Later years and death section
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farida_Majid
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
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