Gantha September, 24 Virtual Meeting
Gantha held its meeting on 24th September at 6.00 p.m. as scheduled and it ended at 8 p.m. Themeeting was conducted by Marzia Rahman. The meeting was on the Women’s Writer’s project and there were three speakers.
The speakers were:
- Niaz Zaman
- Nurquamrun Nahar
- Marzia Rahman
Members briefly talked about the Women’s Writers project. Many members have presented a number of writers in the last few months, and they are requested to submit their writings as soon as possible. A short break was taken for the Magrib prayer. The meeting began with the speakers presenting their writings.
Dr Niaz Zaman spoke first on Halima Khatun (1933-2018) who was a poet, writer and academic. She mentioned how Halima Khatun played a leading role when she was a student at Dhaka University. She took part in Bengali Language Movement in 1952. A recipient of Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1981 and Ekushey Padak posthumously in 2019, Khatun wrote for children too. Neaz Zaman read a short stanza from Halima Khatun’s poem titled ‘BazpakhirHamla.’
Nurquamrun Nahar presented Makbula Manzoor (1938-2020), an author and novelist. Nahar mentioned how Makbula Manzoor belonged to a cultural family and had developed alove for literature and cultural activities from a very young age. She worked on various genres such as poems, prose, essays, children’s literature and novels. She is considered as one of the notable contributors to modern Bangladeshi literature. She received Bangla Academy Literary Award and Ananya SahityaPuroshkar. Nurquamrun Nahar read some excerpts from Makbula Manzoor’s short story, ‘AbdaShokti.’
Marzia Rahman talked about Shahnaz Munni who is a television journalist, poet and writer. Shahnaz Munni has been chief news editor with the television channel News24.Rahman mentioned how Shahnaz Munni despite her busy schedule is a devoted writer and published around 21 books so far. Shahnaz Munni takes special interest in children welfare too. Rahman read some paragraphs from Shahnaz Munni’s short story, ‘The Six Arms of Rupmoyi.’
The meeting concluded with a decision to hold the next meeting on 22nd October 2022. It will be a virtual meeting and some writers on women’s project will be discussed. Niaz Zaman, Jackie Kabir, Razia Sultana Khan and Marzia Rahman have expressed their wish to speak in the next meeting.
List of attendees in September Meeting:
Gantha Members
- Niaz Zaman
- Jackie Kabir
3. Razia Sultana Khan
4. Nur Quamrun Naher
5. Marzia Rahman
6. Nasreen Kabir
7. Sauda Akhter
8. Tasneem Siraj Mahboob
