Bangladesh
Bangla Academy President Novelist Selina Hossain appointed Bangla Academy president
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, February 4: Ekushey Medal winning novelist Selina Hossain has been appointed as the new president of Bangla Academy.
A notification was issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Thursday appointing her for three years. The appointment will be effective from the date of joining, the notification read.
Earlier, on November 30 last year, the then President of Bangla Academy, Dr. Rafiqul Islam, an educationist, researcher and writer who won the Independence and Ekushey medals, passed away.
Selina Hossain is a renowned novelist of Bangladesh. Her novel reflects the totality of contemporary social and political conflict crisis. The arrogant language movement of the Bengalis and the context of the liberation war have added a new dimension to her writings. Her novels have been translated into English, Russian, Malay and Kannada. In 2014, she was appointed as the chairman of Bangladesh Shishu (Children) Academy for two years.
Selina Hossain was born on June 14, 1947 in Rajshahi. Her ancestral home is in Hajirpara village of Laxmipur district. Although father AK Mosharraf Hossain's hometown is Noakhali, he had worked in Bogura and later Rajshahi for a long time; So Selina did not have to stay in Noakhali for long during her childhood. Selina Hossain's mother's name is Maryam-un-Nisa Bakul.
Selina Hossain graduated from Rajshahi University in 1967 with a B.A. Honors and she completed her M.A. in 1968. She started her career in 1970 as a research assistant at the Bangla Academy. She became the first female director of Bangla Academy in 1997. She retired on June 14, 2004. On Thursday (February 3), a notification was issued appointing her as the President of Bangla Academy. She has published a total of 35 novels, 13 story books, 22 children's books and 10 essay books. She has also published 13 edited books.
