A Bone to Pick — Raza Ali’s Last Work for Kitaab

In this story, Raza explores how a fleeting, unknowing act can ripple through another’s life, altering their view of love and relationships in ways only revealed years later.

Editor’s Note

It is with profound sadness that I share the passing of Raza Ali, a dear friend and one of Kitaab’s most treasured voices, on August 28, 2025.

Raza and I shared many conversations over the years—about Manto, about his memories of what was then East Pakistan, and later his life in Canada. He often spoke with warmth about his nephews and nieces and their writings, and with admiration about his sister’s remarkable contributions to literature in Bangladesh.

On a personal note, Raza was endlessly encouraging. He always had kind words for the pieces I wrote, and he never failed to nudge me to keep going with my own work-in-progress. Even in our last exchange, when he was already unwell, he was asking friends to subscribe to Kitaab because he believed so strongly in the work we were doing together.