He was born on May 24, 1899 in Churulia village in the Burdwan district of West Bengal to Kazi Fakir Ahmed, the caretaker of the local mosque and mausoleum, and his wife, Zahida Khatun. He was the second of their four children.
After his father’s untimely death, he was nicknamed 'Dukhu Mia' by the villagers because of the hardships he faced in his early life. When he was ten, he started working in his father's place as a caretaker to support his family, as well as assisting teachers in school.
In 1910, he attended the Searsole Raj High School in Raniganj and then the Mathrun High English School. But soon he abandoned his studies due to financial crisis and started working as a cook. Later, he took up a job at a bakery and tea shop in Asansole.
In 1914, he resumed his studies and studied up to Class X. He studied Bengali, Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian literature and Hindustani classical music.
In 1917, he joined the Indian Army as a soldier and served there for three years, rising to the rank of Battalion Quarter Master (Havildar). In 1919, he published his first piece, 'The Autobiography of a Delinquent' or ‘Saogat’, while serving in the army.
After his father’s untimely death, he was nicknamed 'Dukhu Mia' by the villagers because of the hardships he faced in his early life. When he was ten, he started working in his father's place as a caretaker to support his family, as well as assisting teachers in school.
In 1910, he attended the Searsole Raj High School in Raniganj and then the Mathrun High English School. But soon he abandoned his studies due to financial crisis and started working as a cook. Later, he took up a job at a bakery and tea shop in Asansole.
In 1914, he resumed his studies and studied up to Class X. He studied Bengali, Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian literature and Hindustani classical music.
In 1917, he joined the Indian Army as a soldier and served there for three years, rising to the rank of Battalion Quarter Master (Havildar). In 1919, he published his first piece, 'The Autobiography of a Delinquent' or ‘Saogat’, while serving in the army.
In 1945, he received the Jagattarini Gold Medal from the University of Calcutta for his work in Bengali Literature.
In 1960, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian honors of the Republic of India.
He was conferred the title of 'national poet' and awarded the 'Ekushey Padak' by the Government of Bangladesh