Overview

Dwijen Sharma (29 May 1929 – 15 September 2017) was a prominent Bangladeshi naturalist and author whose work brought attention to the natural world through essays, popular science writing and teaching. Born in Barisal, he combined field observation with clear, accessible prose to introduce readers — including young people — to flora, fauna and ecological ideas.

Career and roles

Sharma began his professional life as an educator. In 1962 he left Barisal to join the faculty of Notre Dame College, Dhaka, where he taught and mentored students until 1974. After that period he worked abroad as a translator, spending time in Moscow with Progress Publishers. Later in life he lived and worked in Dhaka, continuing to write and to speak on environmental topics.

Writings and influence

Sharma wrote extensively in Bengali, producing essays and articles that explained natural history and environmental concerns in nontechnical language. His pieces often emphasized observation, the beauty of everyday nature and the importance of conserving local habitats. Through newspapers, magazines and books he helped popularize science and nature writing in Bangladesh and inspired readers to pay closer attention to their surroundings.

Awards and recognition

For his contributions to literature and the public understanding of nature, Sharma received significant national honors. He was awarded the Bangla Academy Award in 1987 and, later, the Ekushey Padak in 2015 by the Government of Bangladesh. These awards recognized both the literary quality of his work and its cultural importance.

Legacy and notable aspects

  • Educator: remembered for decades of teaching and mentoring students at a major college in Dhaka.
  • Popularizer: wrote for a broad audience and encouraged an appreciation of nature in Bengali-language media.
  • Translator and cultural bridge: worked internationally, including a period in Moscow, bringing ideas across languages.
  • Honors: recipient of major national awards acknowledging his impact on language, literature and environmental thought.

Sharma died in Dhaka from kidney disease on 15 September 2017 at the age of 88. His work remains a reference point for Bengali nature writing and for educators who seek to link science, literature and public understanding of the environment.

Ekushey Padak and other recognitions mark his place in Bangladesh's cultural and intellectual history.