Bangladeshi novelist (1939–2019)
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]
Early life
Rizia 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
Rahman 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
- 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)
- Letters of Blood (Rokter Okkhor, 2016)
Short stories
- Dura Kothao (2004)[9]
- Caged in Paradise and Other Stories (2010)[10][11]
Awards
Death
Rahman died on 16 August 2019.[14][15][16]
References