বাংলা 
English 
Ukil Munshi (11 June 1885 - 12 December 1978) was a Bengali baul ascetic. His guru was another baul ascetic, Rashid Uddin. Among his countless songs, 'Asharh Maysia Bhasa Pani Re' and 'Sona Bondhuya Re Eto Dukkha Dile Tui Amare' are notable.
Ukil Munshi was born on 11 June 1885 into a wealthy Muslim family in Boaligram Noorpur village of Khaliajuri, Netrokona district. His family name was Abdul Haq Akand. In childhood he joined ghetu-gan. Later, from gajal singing in his youth until his death, he remained absorbed in baul practice. His gajal singing began in his youth. He went to visit the house of his uncle Kazi Alim Uddin in Jalalpur village of Mohanganj thana. There he fell in love with Hamida Khatun, daughter of Labu Hossain of a village across the Dhanu river (Labusher's mother). About this love he wrote a song called "Ukiler Monchor". When his uncle learned of the affair, Hamida's father being an ordinary farmer, he forbade it on behalf of the family. He left home and wandered through Shyampur, Paglajor and Joynalpur. In 1915 he was appointed to act as imam and teach Arabic at a mosque in Barantar village of Mohanganj, a few miles from Jalalpur village. During this time, along with his duties as imam, he wrote gajals and sang them staying awake at night. Irritated by this, one person complained to the police. When the police came to take him away, Ukil began singing along with the police. In that song the police found answers to certain questions hidden within themselves, and later, hearing Ukil's songs on the stage of several pala-gan contests, the police became his murids. In 1916, at Hamida Khatun's interest, they were united in marriage. They had one son, Sattar Munshi.
Many of Ukil Munshi's popular songs are still on the lips of ordinary people. Some of his notable songs:
- Nabijir Khash Mahale
- Haire Lukaiya Koidin Roi
- Bondhu Bifole Gel Noboujubon
- Sona Bondhuya Re Eto Dukkha Dile Tui Amare
- Esho He Kangaler Bondhu
- Bideshi Bondhure Rup Dekhaiya
- Bhebechhilam Range Din Jaber Sujon Naiya
- O Kothin Bondhure...
- Asharh Maysia Bhasa Pani Re
- Bondhu Amar Dinduniyar Dhan Re
- Shokhi Go...
- Ar Ki Oli Amar Boshibe Phule
- Amar Shyam Shokh Pakhi Go
- Pran Shokhigo...
- She Je Arale Thake, Uki Diya Dekhe
- Pirit O Modhur Pirit
- Amar Kangher Kolshi Giyechhe Bhashi
- Rojoni Probhat Holo Dake Kokila
- Kahar Name Boshben Khoda
- Din Duniyar Badsha Tumi, Ummonter Jamin
- Suya Chan Pakhi
In the middle of 1978 Ukil Munshi's wife Hamida Khatun died, and a few months later his son Sattar Munshi passed away. That same year he fell ill and died on 12 December.
Many of his songs have been included in Bengali films. In 1999, in the film Srabon Megher Din, written and directed by the fiction writer and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed, Ukil's song was used in Bari Siddiqui's voice. Ukil Munshi is one of the characters in Madhyahna, Humayun Ahmed's multi-centred novel on life in the rural Bengal of the twentieth century. The folk artiste Momtaz popularised the song "Sujon Bondhu Re Are O Bondhu, Kon Ba Deshe Thako, Ei Dasire Kandaiya Re, Kon Dasir Mon Rakho Sujon Bondhure" in her mellifluous voice.
In memory of Ukil Munshi, the "Ukil Munshi Smriti Songsad" of Joynalpur village in Tantulia union of Mohanganj upazila, Netrokona, arranges discussions on his life and songs, essay readings and musical programmes of his popular songs.
