The Black Coat
| 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." 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."
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. 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.