Literary Notes
Bangladesh writing in India
The National Book Trust of India has this year published two books by two Bangladeshi writers. This is for the first time that such a step has been taken. The two writers are litterateurs Selina Hossain and Rashid Haider. Both their books are short story collections, and Selina Hossain's is entitled Motijaner Meyera o Annanya Golpo and that of Rashid Haider is entitled, Brihonnola o Annanya Golpo.
Each collection has twenty-one stories in it. Agni Roy has compiled and edited the volume by Selina Hossain, while that by Rashid Haider has been edited and compiled by Anjan Shaha. Both the editors have written comprehensive introductions to the books describing the historical perspective of Bangladesh literature, and commenting on the writers' presentation method, their use of language, and their essential characteristics as storytellers. The editors also observed that the two major historical events of Bangladesh—the Language Movement and the Liberation War—seem to have added new dimensions to the writers' compositions. The editors also recognized the fact that the travails, pains and anguish that Bangladesh writers went through, that despite that the pleasure derived by them were not what West Bengal's writers had to cope with.
The National Book Trust has so far supervised the publication of three books by Bangladesh's writers under its Exchange Program. The person to be given credit for this generous undertaking is the Bangla editor of the Trust, Sree Bratin Day. It was let known that the National Book Trust would continue to publish books by Bangladeshi writers in the near future.
It is worth mentioning that all books published by the National Book Trust will be first be published in English and eight more languages of India, and then in another sixteen languages, that is, 24 languages in total.
It is to be noted here that the National Book Trust has also published a volume of short stories by Bangladesh writers with the title Bangladesher Golpo, edited by Selina Hossain. This volume also contains twenty-one short stories. Why does each collection have twenty-one stories? The reason is simple: showing honour to the 21 February Martyrs' Day or Ekushey February as well as to the International Mother Language Day.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments