British Shashone Bajeyapta Bangla Boi by Shishir Kar [Hardcover]

Shishir Kar’s Nishiddha Nazrul had already startled readers by uncovering lesser-known details about banned Bengali books under British rule. But with British Shasane Bajeyapta Bangla Boi (Banned Bengali Books Under British Rule), he takes his meticulous research even further, delving deep into colonial censorship laws, their enforcement, and the suppressed literary works that shaped India's nationalist movement.

What makes this book particularly compelling is the sheer effort behind its creation. Kar tirelessly pursued archival records, traveling from Kolkata’s State Archives and intelligence offices on Lord Sinha Road to Delhi’s National Library, and even to London’s India Office Library and British Museum. Over a decade of dedicated research earned him a Ph.D. from the University of Calcutta, and this book is the culmination of that extensive work.

More than just a catalog of banned books, Kar provides a detailed study of the laws that governed literary suppression, their political motivations, and their implications on writers and publishers. The book also examines the censorship of revolutionary pamphlets, underground newspapers, and even theatrical performances. Including direct excerpts from secret government files and rare facsimiles of original documents, British Shasane Bajeyapta Bangla Boi is an authoritative, engaging, and eye-opening chronicle of colonial-era literary resistance.