| Author | Neamat Imam |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Dystopian, political fiction, social science fiction |
| Published | 22 May 2013 Hamish Hamilton/ Penguin Books India |
| Publication place | Bangladesh |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 256 pp |
| ISBN | 9780670086658 |
The Black Coat is a historical novel by Bangladeshi-Canadian author Neamat Imam. It is "a meditation on power, greed and the human cost of politics."[1] The Sunday Guardian commented that it is "destined to be a future classic" and will be used as the "gold standard for any book which seeks to engage with South Asian politics or history."[2]
Published in 2013 by Penguin Books India in Hamish Hamilton imprint, it presents a dark and dystopian portrait of Bangladesh under Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.[3] Sheikh Mujib is commonly regarded as the Father of the Bengali Nation, the greatest hero Bangladesh has ever had, but in this novel Imam depicts him as a totalitarian ruler who distorted truth and suppressed political opposition to strengthen his tyranny.[4]