Francis Bradley Bradley-Birt (F.B. Bradley-Birt) was a British Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer and a renowned writer who conducted significant research on the history, culture, and lifestyle of contemporary Bengal. While serving as the Magistrate of the then Dhaka district in 1904, he deeply observed the society and traditions of East Bengal and portrayed the long history and aristocracy of Dhaka in his famous book 'The Romance of an Eastern Capital'. Additionally, he was interested in the folklore of Bengal and the life philosophy of the Baul mystic Lalon Shah, highlighting Bengal's rural culture to the Western world through his writings. Alongside his administrative duties, his works as a historian are still considered primary sources for understanding the social and geographical evolution of British-era Bengal.
