Rizia Rahman (28 December 1939 – 16 August 2019)[1] was a Bangladeshi novelist.[2] She had a number of novels and short stories to her credit. Her works cut across all genres. She was best known for the novel Bong Theke Bangla.[3] She was the recipient of Bangla Academy Literary Award (1978).[4] As of 2018, she had published more than 50 novels and short story collections during her long career.[5]
Rizia Rahman | |
|---|---|
| Native name | রিজিয়া রহমান |
| Born | 28 December 1939 Kolkata, Bengal Presidency, British India |
| Died | 16 August 2019 (aged 79) Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
Early life
editRizia Rahman was born on 28 December 1939 in Bhabanipur, Kolkata.[5] Her family moved to Bangladesh, then known as East Bengal, after the 1947 Partition of India.[5] She began writing stories at the age of 8 and was published for the first time when she was 12.[6] Her stories and poems appeared in newspapers such as Satyajug and Sangbad.[7] Rahman studied at the University of Dhaka and graduated with a Master of Social Sciences in Economics.[7]
Career
editRahman published her first collection of short stories, Agni Shakkora, while studying at the University of Dhaka.[7] Her novel Bong Theke Bangla was published in 1978 to critical acclaim, exploring the evolution of Bangladesh's nationality and language.[5] Her fourth novel, Rokter Okkhor, was inspired by an article called "The Prostitutes of Dhaka" which was published in Bichitra.[8] She was unable to conduct research for the book by visiting brothels herself, relying instead on weekly reports from a male journalist to gain an understanding of a sex worker's living conditions.[8] It created a huge stir in Bangladesh upon publication because of its frank depiction of prostitution in the country. In a 2016 translation of the book named Letters of Blood,[7] Rahman said, "I received a lot of praise for the book, but also had to endure an equal amount of abuse."[8]
Works
edit- Novels
- Uttar Purush (Posterity, 1977)
- Rokter Okkhor (Blood Words, 1978)
- Bong Theke Bangla (Bengali to Bangla, 1978)
- Alikhito Upakhyan (An Unwritten Story, 1980)
- Surja Sabuj Rakta (Sun Green Blood, 1980)
- Shhilay Shilay Agun (Stones in Fire, 1980)
- Aranyer Kache (Near the Forest, 1980)
- Dhabal Jyotsna (White Moon-light, 1980)
- Ghar-Bhanga-Ghar (Broken-house, 1984)
- Ekal Chirokal (Now and Eternity, 1984)
- Prem Amar Prem (Love, My Love, 1985)
- Jharer Mukhomukhi (Facing the Storm, 1986)
- Ekti Phuler Janya (For a Flower, 1986)
- Shudhu Tomader Janya (Only for You, 1988)
- He manab Manabi (Oh! Man and Woman, 1989)
- Harun Phereni (Harun did not Return, 1994)
- Nodi Nirobodhi (2011)
Translated novels (English)
edit- Letters of Blood (Rokter Okkhor, 2016)
Short stories
Awards
edit- Bangla Academy Literary Award (1978)
- Jessore Sahitya Parishad Puraskar (1984)
- Bangladesh Lekhak Sangha Sahitya Padak (1985)
- Kamar Mushtari Sahitya Padak (1990)[12]
- Anannya Literature Award (1995)
- Humayun Kadir Sriti Puraskar
- Jasimuddin Shwarna Padak
- Shawgat Shwarna Padak
- Ekushey Padak (2019)[13]
Death
editReferences
edit- ^ "Novelist Rizia Rahman passes away". UNB. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ "Through The Eyes of Rizia Rahman". The Daily Star. 19 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- ^ "Rizia Rahman's Rokter Okshor". Bangladeshi Novels.
- ^ পুরস্কারপ্রাপ্তদের তালিকা [Winners list] (in Bengali). Bangla Academy. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d রিজিয়া রহমান (Rizia Rahman) - Portfolio of Bengali Author Rizia Rahman on authors.com.bd. authors.com.bd. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ "Through the Eyes of Rizia Rahman". The Daily Star. 19 May 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Library of Bangladesh Presents". bengallights.com. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ a b c Rahman, Rizia (2018). Letters of Blood. Kolkata: Seagull Books. pp. xi. ISBN 9780857424990.
- ^ "Dura Kothao". Amazon. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ Ford-Powell, Ken (25 June 2013). "Caged in Paradise and Other Stories by Rizia Rahman: Trapped in a terrible beauty". Paste.
- ^ "Caged in Paradise and Other Stories | The University Press Limited". www.uplbooks.com. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ "Rizia Rahman". Bangladeshi Novels.
- ^ "PM: Protect and practice country's rich culture, language". Dhaka Tribune. 20 February 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ একুশে পদকপ্রাপ্ত কথাসাহিত্যিক রিজিয়া রহমান আর নেই. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ একুশে পদকপ্রাপ্ত কথাসাহিত্যিক রিজিয়া রহমানের ইন্তেকাল. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ ঔপন্যাসিক রিজিয়া রহমান আর নেই. Jugantor (in Bengali). 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.