GOLDEN BANGLADESH AT 50: The anthology that celebrates Bangladesh then and now

Bangladesh celebrated its golden jubilee of independence amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Stuck at home, we hardly had any chance to celebrate the joyous occasion . 

During the time, author Shazia Omar came up with an amazing idea and took the initiative to combine the writings of 23 writers - some living in Bangladesh, others from the diasporas of New York, Chicago, London, Rome, San Francisco, Hong Kong and Toronto - to celebrate Bangladesh's 50th birthday through an anthology book titled 'Golden: Bangladesh at 50'.

The book launching event took place on Tuesday at the capital's Bay's Edgewater in Madani Avenue.

While some of these writers are budding and new, others are already well-established in the literary field.

"Since everyone was stuck at home, I thought it would be great to bring their stories together in one place. So, I started collecting writings from my fellow writers when the pandemic had just hit. This anthology is a way to celebrate Bangladesh's golden jubilee of independence. I am extremely happy," Shazia Omar told The Business Standard. 

One of the book's poems 'Premature Victory', authored by Pracheta Ahana Alam, depicts how we consider leaving our homeland as a feat of victory because the state's system often deprives us from pursuing our own choices in life.

"This is the first time my writing got published like this. It actually broke my imposter syndrome. I mean that it gave me a really hearty boost of confidence," Pracheta said.

The book costs Tk1,000 and can be purchased from the outlets of University Press Limited outlets. It is also available for online purchase at Golden: Bangladesh At 50

Sabrina Fatma Ahmad, one of the authors and the founder of 'Sehri Tales' - a series of writing published during Ramadan, penned 'Fultokka'. 

This short story delivers a strong message as it takes the reader back to their school days in Dhaka in the 1990s, where a social outcast comes face-to-face with lessons of empathy, self-determination and our political history.

Shazia Omar's own story, "Ivory Town", in the collection is about an arrogant girl who is disillusioned by the demands of a superficial society. She comes to face extreme isolation when the pandemic strikes and is forced to make a choice. She chooses a return to nature, where she finds peace by connecting to universal love. 

"The protagonist of the story staggers under the pressure of consumer capitalism till she finally finds universal love in the arms of Mother Nature."

Each short poem and story reflects the authors' thought processes and experiences. The authors have collectively portrayed a few problems and realities of Bangladesh that beg to be addressed.

As per Shazia's remarks on the title page of the book, the "collection of stories and poems is a way of honouring all that we have learned, yearned for, found and let go. The voices are of today, fresh and contemporary, to give readers a sense of who we are now. The stories explore our love for and worries about this country."

She  is currently working on two childrens' stories, slated to be published by Guba Publishing.

Speaking about how the book came to being in the inauguration ceremony, Mahrukh Mohiuddin, the Managing Director of University Press Limited and the publisher of the book, said, "It's Shazia because of whom the book is happening. She did almost everything. We are pleased to publish it."

Other writers and poets featured in the anthology include Mahmud Rahman, Nadeem Zaman, Sabrina Ahmad, Srabonti Narmeen Ali, Kaiser Haq, Neeman Sobhan, Arif Anwar, Sabahat Jahan, Lubna Mariam, Zeeshan Khan, Nahyan Ameen, Nadia Kabir Barb, Abeer Y Hoque, Shabnam Nadiya, Maria Chaudhuri, MK Aaref, Salahdin Imam, Namira Hossain, Farah Ghuznavi, Munize Manzur and Iffat Nawaz.

The book costs Tk1,000 and can be purchased from outlets of University Press Limited or you can purchase it online on the publisher's website.