Mentors’ "Scriptoria National Literary Fest 2026" concludes

Organised by Dhaka University Writers' Hub, Mentors' “Scriptoria National Literary Fest 2026” was held between July 28 and 29, 2026, at Dhaka University (DU). The festival brought together young writers, researchers, and storytellers from colleges and universities across Bangladesh, offering them a national platform to showcase their talent, engage with distinguished intellectuals, and celebrate the written word in all its forms. A total prize pool of BDT 50,000 was awarded across three competition categories during the festival.

The first day of Scriptoria commenced with the inauguration at the Professor Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium, Faculty of Social Sciences, DU on July 28. The first panel discussion titled "Literature as a Reflection of Society: Mirror, Critique, or Catalyst for Change?" brought together a remarkable confluence of voices from Bangladesh's literary, academic, journalistic, and cultural landscape. The panel comprised Sanjeeda Hossain, Assistant Professor, Department of English, DU; Kizzy Tahnin, writer, novelist, and Head of Culture at the UNESCO Dhaka Office; Kingkor Ahsan, a prominent contemporary Bangladeshi writer, novelist, and screenwriter; and Robiul Kamol, a writer, journalist, and Sub-Editor at The Daily Star.

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The panellists engaged in a rich and thought-provoking discussion on contemporary issues surrounding literature by exploring how literature functions as a mirror through which societies examine themselves, confront their contradictions, and imagine new possibilities.

The second panel discussion, "Why isn't Academic Research Culture Thriving in Bangladesh? Understanding the Gap Between Quantity, Quality, and Research Careers", addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing Bangladesh's academic community. The panel featured Dr Hasina Sheykh, Professor, Department of Banking and Insurance, DU; Prof. Dr Saber Ahmed Chowdhury, Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, DU; Raihan Sobhan, Assistant Professor, Department of Accounting, DU; and Shahedul Hasan, Deputy Manager (Research & Policy Advocacy) at SME Foundation, Ministry of Industries, and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Insight Master.

The discussion shed light on the systemic gaps within Bangladesh's research ecosystem and the need to cultivate a culture that nurtures curiosity and rewards original thinking.

The day concluded with the research proposal presentations, during which the top 10 shortlisted participants from the “Research Proposal” category presented their work before a distinguished panel of judges.

The second day of Scriptoria started with the “Carnival Inauguration” at the TSC field. The stalls featured live art, face painting, a photo booth experience, interactive stalls, and a festive atmosphere that drew enthusiastic crowds throughout the day.

Later, the prize-giving ceremony took place. The chief guest of the ceremony was Prof. Dr Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Administration), DU. The ceremony was also graced by Md Emdadul Haque, FCA, Director and Chief Financial Officer of Heidelberg Materials Bangladesh PLC, and Prof. Dr Alamin, Professor, Department of Accounting, and Adviser of the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), DU.

The distinguished guests expressed sincere admiration for the initiative, praising Dhaka University Writers’ Hub as a platform that has the potential to meaningfully encourage the younger generation toward writing and literature.

In “Essay Writing”, Nazifa Anjum Nitu won first place, Hamim Ahammed came second, and Mahamud Khalid third. In “Short Story Writing”, Nurhat Shifat Abony took first place, followed by Wamia Wazed in second, and Tabassum Ahmed Usha in third. The “Research Proposal” segment was won by the team of Maisha Binte Kabir, Mahfuza Osmani Sreshtha, and Prapti Rahman, with Erina Akther Ema and Md Golam Mubasshir Rafi in second place, and Md Ashifuzzaman Anik in third. The festival drew to a close with a live concert performed by the band Redwine.

This two-day literary event was supported by Mentors' as title sponsor and Meghna Bank PLC as bronze sponsor. Tickify was the registration partner, while The Daily Star and The Daily Ittefaq were media partners. Promotional outreach was driven by NextGen Doctors and দেশি Manga as promotional partners. The festival's digital and public presence was amplified through Infogram, TongerKhobor, and Dhaka Chronicles as outreach partners. Journal Junction supported participants as the stationery partner, Insight Master contributed as community partner, and Gatidhara joined as publication partner. The Centre for Advanced Research in Arts and Social Sciences (CARASS), DU was the Strategic Partner. Sunquick was the beverage partner and Nestlé the snack partner.