A classic of contemporary Bengali literature, Lutfor Rahaman’s Grave Exhumers and Other Stories narrativises the everyday struggles, hopes, and aspirations of ordinary people, especially disadvantaged Muslims, who aspire for a life of dignity, as they battle institutionalised religion, communal violence, social hierarchies, and state apathy. Written in an inimitable Lutforian style with earthy prose, local images, and an expansive vision, the stories are a silent and thoughtful meditation on the beauty and terror of life in the provincial district of Nadia in West Bengal. Mursed Alam’s superb translation and lucid prose bring the stories alive while retaining their original spirit and universal appeal.
