A polyimide for optical communications has a monomer, represented by the formula (1), as a repeating unit: ##STR1## wherein X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 are independently selected from the group consisting of halogen atom, halogenated alkyl group, halogenated aromatic ring group, --NO.sub.2, --OR.sup.1 and --SR.sup.1 (where R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of halogenated alkyl and halogenated aromatic ring groups); and Z is selected from the group consisting of divalent halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon, divalent halogenated aliphatic cyclic hydrocarbon and divalent halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon. Thus, light absorption loss at a near infrared light wavelength range can be minimized by using the polyimide, so that the polyimide is very useful as an optical material in the optical communications field using light of a near infrared light region.