Akhteruzzaman Elias
Encyclopedia
Akhteruzzaman Elias(February 16, 1943 - January 4, 1997), born in Gaibandha District
, Bangladesh
, is a famous novelist and short story writer. Though he wrote only two novels, critics place Elias in the pantheon of great Bengal
i novelists. In the context of the novels of Bangladesh, he is possibly the second person highest acclaimed after Syed Waliullah
.
Gaibandha District
Gaibandha is a district in Northern Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rangpur Division.Gaibandha was established in 1875 when the subdivision was transferred from Bhabaniganj to Gaibandha. Gaibandha municipality was established in 1923. The literacy rate among the town people is...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, is a famous novelist and short story writer. Though he wrote only two novels, critics place Elias in the pantheon of great Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
i novelists. In the context of the novels of Bangladesh, he is possibly the second person highest acclaimed after Syed Waliullah
Syed Waliullah
Syed Waliullah was a Bangladeshi novelist, short-story writer and playwright. He is most well known in Bangla literature for his first novel, Lalsalu...
.
Novels
- Chilekothar Sepai(The Soldier in an Attic) (1987) - details the psychological journey of a man during the turbulent period just prior to Bangladeshi independenceBangladesh Liberation WarThe Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
in 1971. This novel also contains what is arguably the most authentic description of life in Puran Dhaka, the old and distinctive part of DhakaDhakaDhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
.
- Khoabnama (Tale of Dreams) (1996) - Khoabnama depicts the socio-political scene in rural pre-partitionPartition of IndiaThe Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
Bangladesh.
Short story collections
- Dojokher Om (The Warmth of Hell)
- Dudhbhate Utpat (No Peace in Milk and Rice)
Awards
Akhtaruzzaman Elias has received several awards.- Humayun Kabir Smrti Puraskar (1977),
- Bangla Academy AwardBangla Academy AwardBangla Academy Award is a literary award given by the Bangla Academy of Bangladesh in recognition of creative genius in advancement and overall contribution in the field of Bangla language and literature....
in Literature (1983), - Alaol Sahitya Puraskar (1987),
- Ananda Puraskar (1996),
- Saadat Ali Akhand Puraskar (1996),
- Kazi Mahbubullah Gold Medal (1996), and
- Ekushey PadakEkushey PadakEkushey Padak is one of the highest civilian awards in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement of 1952 that took place on February 21, 1952.-2001:*Shah Abdul Karim...
(1999, posthumous).