The Bangla Academy Literary Award has been finalized after a revision on Wednesday night, removing three previously nominated individuals from the list. However, renowned nuclear scientist Dr. Rezaur Rahman has retained his place as the recipient of the award in the science category.
Dr. Rezaur Rahman, a recipient of the Ekushey Padak, was born in 1944 in Dhaka. His literary journey began during his school years, with his first publication appearing in 1962.
He completed his early education at Nawabpur Government High School and later obtained an MSc from the University of Dhaka in 1965. In 1979, he earned a PhD in Entomology from the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, focusing on “Radiation Effects on Insects.” His professional career began as a zoology lecturer at Rajshahi Government College before he moved on to other research and teaching roles.
Three Nominees Removed Amid Backlash
Amid widespread criticism, the names of Mohammad Hannan (Liberation War category), Faruq Nawaz (Children’s Literature), and Selim Morshed (Fiction) were removed from the final list. The revised decision was made during the Bangla Academy Executive Council’s review meeting on January 29.
The finalized list of awardees is as follows:
- Poetry: Masud Khan
- Drama & Playwriting: Subhashis Sinha
- Essay & Non-fiction: Salimullah Khan
- Translation: G.H. Habib
- Research: Muhammad Shahjahan Mia
- Folklore: Syed Jamil Ahmed
- Science: Rezaur Rahman
A Distinguished Career in Science and Literature
Dr. Rezaur Rahman served as a scientist at the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission from 1966 to 2002. He founded the science journal “Onnesha” in Dhaka and later established the Food and Radiation Biology Institute in Savar, where he pioneered research on the academic persuasion of fruit flies (Ceratitis capitata).
He also taught at Jahangirnagar University from 1991 to 2005 and remains dedicated to scientific and literary writing. He has authored 15 popular science books, several postgraduate-level textbooks, and over 100 scientific essays.
At 81, Dr. Rezaur Rahman continues his intellectual pursuits. He is married to Halima Khatun and has two daughters, Nilanjana and Manjulika.