Selina Hossain (born 14 June 1947) is a Bangladeshi novelist and the current president of

Bangla Academy The Bangla Academy ( bn, বাংলা একাডেমি, ) is an autonomous institution funded by the Bangladesh government to foster the Bengali language, literature and culture, to develop and implement national language policy and to d ...

since February 2022. Her major works include ''Hangor Nodi Grenade'' (1976) and ''Poka Makorer Ghor Boshoti'' (1996). She earned all major national awards –

Bangla Academy Literary Award The Bangla Academy Literary Award ( bn, বাংলা একাডেমি সাহিত্য পুরস্কার; ''Bangla Academy Shahitya Puroshkar''), is given by the Bangla Academy of Bangladesh in recognition of creative genius i ...

in 1980,

Ekushey Padak Ekushey Padak ( bn, একুশে পদক; lit. "Twentyfirst Award") is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. The award is given to recognize contribut ...

in 2009 and

Independence Day Award The Independence Day Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পদক), also termed Independence Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পুরস্কার), Swadhinata Padak, and Swadhinata Puroskar, is the highest state award given by t ...

in 2018. Her novels and short stories have been translated into English, Russian, French, Japanese, Korean, Finnish and Malay. She served as the chairperson of

Bangladesh Shishu Academy Bangladesh Shishu Academy ( bn, বাংলাদেশ শিশু একাডেমি) is the national academy for children in Bangladesh. It was established in 1976 for promoting cultural development of children, and nurturing their tale ...

from 2014 until 2018.

Early life and education

Hossain was born to A. K. Mosharrof Hossain and Mariamennesa Bakul. She earned MA degree in Bengali language and literature from

Rajshahi University The University of Rajshahi, also known as Rajshahi University or RU ( bn, রাজশাহী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়), is a public co-educational research university in Bangladesh situated near the northern Bangladeshi ci ...

in 1968.

Career

In 1994–95, Hossain won a scholarship from the

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...

for her novel, ''Sandhya Gayatri''. Hossain retired as the director of the

. She served as a member of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh and the representative of her government to the executive board of

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

. In 2014, she was appointed as the Chairman of the

. Hossain's novel ''Bhumi O Kusum'' was the first work in Bangla literature to address the enclave issue.

Works (Job)

Novels

Stories

* Utso Theke Nirontor (1969) * Jolobotee Megher Batash (1975) * Khol Korotal (1982) * Porojonmo (1986) * Manushti (1993) * Motijaner Meyera (1995) * Onura Purnima (2008) * Sokhinar Chondrakola (2008) * Ekaler Pantaburi (2008) * Obelar Dinkhon (2009) * Narir Rupkotha (2009) * Nunpantar Goragori (2014) * Mrityur Nilpadma (2015)

Awards

* Dr. Muhammad Enamul Huq Gold Medal (1969) *

(1980) * Alaol Literary Award (1981) * Kamar Mushtari Memorial Prize (1987) * Philips Literary Prize (1994) * Alakta Literary Award (1994) * Premchand Fellowship of

Sahitya Akademi The Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India. Founded on 12 March 1954, it is supported by, though independent of, the Indian government. Its of ...

(2009) * Rabindra Smriti Puraskar by IIPM. New Delhi (2010) * Chandrabati Academy Gold Medal (2010) * International Award for Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) from the

Rabindra Bharati University Rabindra Bharati University is a public research university in Kolkata, India. It was founded on May 8, 1962, under the Rabindra Bharati Act of the Government of West Bengal in 1961, to mark the birth centenary of the poet Rabindranath Tagore. ...

(2010) * Surma Choudhury Memorial Award by IIPM New Delhi (2011) * SAARC Literary Award (2015) *

(2018)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hossain, Selina 1947 births Living people People from Rajshahi District Bangladeshi women novelists Bengali-language writers Bangladeshi writers Recipients of the Ekushey Padak Recipients of Bangla Academy Award Recipients of the Independence Day Award 20th-century novelists 21st-century novelists 20th-century Bangladeshi women writers 21st-century Bangladeshi women writers 20th-century Bangladeshi writers 21st-century Bangladeshi writers Best Story National Film Award (Bangladesh) winners