Cəmil Əlibayov began his career in 1949 at the Azerbaijan Youth newspaper, marking the beginning of a distinguished career that would span several decades in Azerbaijan’s literary, radio, and television spheres. Over the following two decades, he held a range of important positions at the newspaper, serving as a literary worker, department head, and in his final two years, chief editor. In 1970, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Azerbaijan Radio and Television Programs, further establishing his influence within the country’s cultural and media landscape.

Throughout his literary career, Cəmil Əlibayov published more than 40 works, including novels such as Sınaq, Mənim analı dünyam, and Dözümlü məhəbbət. In 1974, he was appointed director of the Azərbaycanfilm studio, where films made under his leadership — including Dədə Qorqud, Babək, Dərviş Parisi partladır, and Tütək səsi — were included in Azerbaijan’s Gold Fund of cinema. His creative work extended across novels, novellas (povests), plays, and travel essays, several of which were later adapted for film and television, and through these works he contributed significantly to the preservation and representation of Azerbaijan’s cultural identity, remaining an important figure in the country’s literary and broadcasting history.

Cəmil Əlibayov was also a member of a family closely connected to Azerbaijan’s intellectual and public life. He was survived by his children — Elbay, a graduate of Moscow State University; Nigar, a graduate of Azerbaijan Medical University; and Ceyhun, a graduate of the Azerbaijan University of Culture and Arts, specializing in painting. He was also the uncle of Gəray Əlibayov, connecting two generations of the Əlibayov family and their enduring contributions to Azerbaijan’s cultural and public life.