Razia Khan Amin (1936 – 28 December 2011) was a Bangladeshi writer, poet and educationist. She was also a journalist, theatre actor and columnist for newspapers. She was awarded

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 1997 for her contribution to education by the

Government of Bangladesh The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh ( bn, গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ সরকার — ) is the central executive government of Bangladesh. The government was constituted by the Co ...

Education and career

Khan's father

Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan (M. T. Khan; March 1889 – 19 August 1963) was the Speaker of Pakistan's Constituent Assembly from 1948 to 1954 and National Assembly of Pakistan between 1962 and 1963. Early life Khan was born to a farmer with only thre ...

was a politician and a social activist. Khan completed her bachelor's degree and masters in English from the

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...

. She went to

University of Birmingham The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingha ...

on a scholarship from the

British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lan ...

for higher studies. Khan joined the editorial board of the then Pakistan Observer (later renamed

The Bangladesh Observer ''The Bangladesh Observer'', founded by Hamidul Huq Choudhury in 1949, was the oldest, continuously published English-language daily newspaper in Bangladesh until it ceased publication in June 2010. History Since its inception as ''The Pakista ...

). She then joined as a faculty member of the Department of English of the University of Dhaka. At the age of 18, Khan wrote her first novel ''Bot tolar Upannayash'' in 1958.

Personal life

Khan was married to Anwarul Amin Makhon, the second-eldest son of former

Prime Minister of Pakistan The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Pa ...

Nurul Amin Nurul Amin ( bn, নুরুল আমিন; ur, ; 15 July 1893 – 2 October 1974) was a prominent Pakistani leader, and a jurist who served as the eighth prime minister of Pakistan and as the first and only vice president of Pakistan. H ...

. Anwarul Amin Makhon was the former general manager of BCCI Bangladesh and opened

Bangladesh Bank Bangladesh Bank ( bn, বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংক) is the central bank of Bangladesh and is a member of the Asian Clearing Union. It is fully owned by the Government of Bangladesh. The bank is active in developing green bankin ...

's first branch abroad (in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

). The couple had two children: banker Kaiser Tamiz Amin and journalist

Aasha Mehreen Amin Aasha Mehreen Amin is a Bangladeshi journalist and writer, former editor of the weekly magazine ''Star'' and the former head of the Editorial team at The ''Daily Star''. She is currently joint editor at ''The Daily Star''. Biography Aasha Mehree ...

Works

Novels

* Bot tolar Upannayash (Novel of the Wayside, 1959) * Anukalpa (The Alrternative, 1959) * Proticitra (The Blue-Print, 1975) * Citra-kabya (Picturesque Verses, 1980) * He Mohajibon (O! Eternal Life, 1983) * Draupadi (1992) * Padatik (The Pedestrian, 1996) * Brhastonir * Shikhor Himaddrir * Bandi Bihongo

Awards

* PEN Lay Writing Award (1956) * Pope Gold Medal (1957) * Bangla Academy Literary Award (1975) * Qamar Mushtari Gold Medal (1985) *

(1997) * Lekhika Sangha Gold Medal (1998) * Druhee Katha-Shahityak

Abdur Rouf Choudhury Abdur Rouf Choudhury (1 March 1929 – 1996) was a Bengali writer. Early life Choudhury was born on 1 March 1929, in Mukimpur, Nabiganj, Habiganj District, Bangladesh (then part of Assam) where his father Azhar Choudhury, a land owner, and h ...

Memorial Award (1999) * Anannya Literature Award (2003)

Education and career

Personal life

Works

Novels

Awards

References

Further reading