Writer Zakir Talukder returns Bangla Academy award

Writer Zakir Talukder has returned the Bangla Academy Award complaining that the standard of the academy has declined.

He was conferred with the award in 2014 for his contributions to fiction.

After 10 years of receiving the award, the author sent the prize money and the medal back to Bangla Academy through courier on Sunday.

Zakir Talukder himself informed Prothom Alo complaining, “The Bangla Academy could not maintain its standards.”

“Bangla Academy has lost its acceptance among the conscious people due to lack of democracy in the academy and its bureaucracy, and for running the academy without electing the executive council for 25 years,” he said to Prothom Alo in the afternoon.

The author further stated, “The award cannot have value if the importance of the institution decreases. That is why this award seems like a meaningless burden to me now. Bangla Academy could not maintain its standards, it is sad.”

Zakir Talukder said that along with everything else he sent a letter clarifying the reasons for returning the award. Where the reason for returning the prize is mentioned.

Zakir Talukder won the Bangla Academy Award for his book ‘Musalman Mangal’.

Speaking about returning Zakir Talukder’s award, Director General of Bangla Academy poet Muhammad Nurul Huda told Prothom Alo, “I have not yet received (the award money and medal). I don’t know if the award could be returned after so many days.’

Zakir Talukdar authored more than 24 literary works. Among them, ‘Pitrigan’, ‘Kursinama’, ‘Kabi and Kamini’, ‘Sayabastab’, ‘Rajar Sepai’ etc. are notable.