Ananda Puraskar
1 appearances
-
Edition 49 (1996) Winner
Akhtaruzzaman Elias
アクタルッザマン・エリアス
Akhtaruzzaman Elias
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1943-02-12 （Gotia, Gaibandha District, British Raj）
- Died
- 1997-01-04 （Dhaka, Bangladesh） age 53
- Nationality
- Bangladeshi
- Languages
- Bengali
- Religion
- Islam
- Residence History
- Gotia (birthplace) → Chelopara (ancestral home, near Bogra) → Bogra (education) → Dhaka (career and later life)
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, short story writer, lecturer, academician
- Active Years
- 1976-1997
- Affiliations
- Jagannath College (lecturer), Directorate of Primary Education (held deputy director position), Music College (vice-principal), Dhaka College (professor and head of Department of Bengali)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bogra Zilla School | — | — | Matriculation | 〜1958 | East Pakistan (at the time) |
| Dhaka College | — | — | Intermediate (Higher Secondary) | 1958–1960 | East Pakistan (at the time) |
| University of Dhaka | — | Department of Bengali | BA (Hons), MA | — | Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) |
Bogra Zilla School
Degree:
Matriculation
Period:
〜1958
Year of Graduation:
1958
Country:
East Pakistan (at the time)
Completed matriculation
Dhaka College
Degree:
Intermediate (Higher Secondary)
Period:
1958–1960
Year of Graduation:
1960
Country:
East Pakistan (at the time)
Completed intermediate studies
University of Dhaka
Department of Bengali
Degree:
BA (Hons), MA
Country:
Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan)
Earned BA (Honours) and MA (years not specified)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Humayun Kabir Smrti Puraskar | — | — | — | 受賞 |
| 1983 | Bangla Academy Literary Award | — | 文学 | Bangla Academy | 受賞 |
| 1987 | Alaol Sahitya Puraskar | Chilekothar Sepai | — | — | 受賞 |
| 1996 | Ananda Puraskar | Khwabnama | — | Ananda | 受賞 |
| 1996 | Saadat Ali Akhand Puraskar | Khwabnama | — | — | 受賞 |
| 1996 | Kazi Mahbubullah Gold Medal | Khwabnama | — | — | 受賞 |
| 1999 | Ekushey Padak | — | — | Government | 追贈（没後受賞） |
Humayun Kabir Smrti Puraskar
1977
Result:
受賞
Bangla Academy Literary Award
1983
Category:
文学
Organization:
Bangla Academy
Result:
受賞
Alaol Sahitya Puraskar
1987
Work:
Chilekothar Sepai
Result:
受賞
Ananda Puraskar
1996
Work:
Khwabnama
Organization:
Ananda
Result:
受賞
Saadat Ali Akhand Puraskar
1996
Work:
Khwabnama
Result:
受賞
Kazi Mahbubullah Gold Medal
1996
Work:
Khwabnama
Result:
受賞
Ekushey Padak
1999
Organization:
Government
Result:
追贈（没後受賞）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Chilekothar Sepai (The Soldier in the Attic)
1987 Novel (political novel)Set against the mass uprisings of 1969 and the prelude to 1971 independence, the novel explores psychological journeys of individuals amidst political turmoil, with detailed depictions of life in old Dhaka.
politicsmass movementsindividual psychologyurban life
Khwabnama (The Saga of Dreams)
1996 Novel (historical with elements of magic realism)Set in rural pre-partition Bengal of the 1940s, the novel weaves myth, dream and history to portray socio-political scenes—peasant movements, communal violence and the human cost of partition—using elements of magic realism to reflect fragmented consciousness.
partition and transitionpeasant movements (Tebhaga)dreams and mythclass struggle
Translations
- English translation by Arunava Sinha (Penguin Hamish Hamilton, 2021)
Onno Ghore Onno Shor (Another Tune in Another Room)
1976 Short story collectionA collection of short stories exploring the inner lives of marginalized and ordinary people, examining the intersection of personal dreams and social realities.
marginalitypersonal dreamssocial reality
Bibliography
- Chilekothar Sepai
- Khwabnama
- Onno Ghore Onno Shor
- Khoari
- Dudh Bhate Utpat
- Dojokher Om
- Jal Shopno, Shopner Jal
- Sanskritir Bhanga Shetu (Broken Bridge of Culture)
Adaptations
- Short film 'Niruddesh Jatra' based on the short story 'Niruddesh Jatra'
Translations of Works
- English translation of Khwabnama by Arunava Sinha (Penguin Hamish Hamilton, 2021)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- realism-based narrationtechnique of depicting fragmented consciousnessincorporation of magic-realist elements
- Recurring Motifs
- dreamsmythclass struggleurban-rural contrastpartition and transition
Health
-
Cancer (right leg)1995–1997Diagnosed in 1995, underwent amputation of the right leg in 1996; continued to write but died in 1997
Legacy
Akhtaruzzaman Elias is regarded as a major figure in Bangladeshi literature; his relatively small but powerful body of work, depicting individual psychology amid political turmoil and historical change, has had a lasting influence on writers and scholars.
Academic Societies
- Bangla Academy (associated)
Archives
- University of Dhaka library/archives (possible holdings)
In Popular Culture
- Short film based on the short story 'Niruddesh Jatra' produced and screened
Trivia
- His brother is writer Khaliquzzaman Elias.
- He published only two major novels in his lifetime, both highly acclaimed.
- After having his right leg amputated in 1996 he continued to write and died in 1997 at age 53.