Published: 12:00 AM, 20 October 2015
Syed Waliullah literature award announced
Expatriate Bangladeshi novelist
Monju Islam and French researcher
of Bangla literature and language
France Bhattacharya have been given
this year's Syed Waliullah Award
which is founded by Bangla Acedemy.
Director General of Bangla
Acedmy Shamsuzzaman Khan
announced the names of the
awardees on Saturday in London at
the closing ceremony of a book fair
organized by Bangla Academy,
according to a release.
Authors who won the award yester
years and Monju Islam were present
at the ceremony. Prominent cultural
personality Golam Mustafa presided
over the function.
Shamsuzzaman Khan said Syed
Waliullah was the first international
writer of Bangladesh because he
wrote both in Bangla and English
while living abroad. He published
books in both languages. That's why
Bangla Academy decided to establish
the award in Syed Waliullah's name
to honour expatriate Bengali writers
who write in Bengali, English or
other languages and foreign nationals
who research Bengali language
and literature. He also announced
that both the awardees will be officially
handed over the award in
Dhaka during the upcoming Ekushey
Book Fair in February next year.
The book fair opened on 15th
October at the Amanah Center in
London. Minister for Cultural
Affairs, Asaduzzaman Noor was the
chief guest of the opening ceremony
while Bangla Academy Director
General Shamsuzzaman Khan was
present as special guest. Bangladesh
High Commissioner to the UK, M A
Hannan was also present on the
occasion. Source: BSS
