Selina Hossain

Selina Hossain
সেলিনা হোসেন
Hossain in 2014
President of Bangla Academy
In office 3 February 2022 – 17 October 2024
Preceded by	Rafiqul Islam
Succeeded by	Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq
Chairperson of Bangladesh Shishu Academy
In office 23 April 2014 – 2018
Preceded by	Sheikh Abdul Ahad<ref>"Selina Hossain named Shishu Academy Chairperson". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2022-02-18.</ref>
Succeeded by	Lucky Enam
Personal details
Born	(1947-06-14) 14 June 1947 Rajshahi, Bengal Province, British India
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Alma mater	Rajshahi University (MA)
Occupation	Novelist, administrator
Awards	full list

Selina Hossain (born 14 June 1947) is a Bangladeshi novelist.<ref name=borguna>বিখ্যাত ব্যক্তিত্ব (in Bengali). Bangladesh National Web Portal. Archived from the original on 2017-05-27. Retrieved 18 June 2015.</ref><ref name=loc>"Selina Hossain". The Library of Congress. Retrieved 20 February 2018.</ref><ref>Com, Bdnews24. "Author Selina Hossain is appointed president of Bangla Academy". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2022-02-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)</ref> Her major works include Hangor Nodi Grenade (1976) and Poka Makorer Ghor Boshoti (1996).<ref>"Selina Hossain, Hasan Azizul to get DLitt". The Daily Star. 2018-03-03. Retrieved 2018-03-08.</ref> She earned all major national awards – Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1980, Ekushey Padak in 2009 and Independence Day Award in 2018.<ref>"16 personalities nominated for Independence Award-2018". The Daily Star. 2018-02-20. Retrieved 2018-02-20.</ref> Her novels and short stories have been translated into English, Russian, French, Japanese, Korean, Finnish and Malay.<ref name=unesco/><ref name=songbird>"Selina Hossain Another Year for the Literary Songbird". The Daily Star. 2016-06-15. Retrieved 2018-03-08.</ref> She served as the chairperson of Bangladesh Shishu Academy from 2014 until 2018.<ref>চেয়ারম্যান : সেলিনা হোসেন [Chairman : Selina Hossain]. Bangladesh Shishu Academy (in Bengali). 26 November 2015. Archived from the original on 2 August 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.</ref> Selina served as the president of the Bangla Academy from 3 February 2022 until her resignation on 17 October 2024.<ref>"Bangla Academy Prez Selina resigns". The Daily Observer. 2024-10-18. Retrieved 2025-01-29.</ref>

Early life and education

Hossain was born to A. K. Mosharrof Hossain and Mariamennesa Bakul.<ref name=borguna/> She earned MA degree in Bengali language and literature from Rajshahi University in 1968.<ref name=borguna/>

Career

In 1994–95, Hossain won a scholarship from the Ford Foundation for her novel, Sandhya Gayatri.<ref name=unesco/>

Hossain retired as the director of the Bangla Academy.<ref name=songbird/> She served as a member of the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh and the representative of her government to the executive board of UNESCO.<ref name=unesco>"Selina Hossain". United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 2018-03-08.</ref> In 2014, she was appointed the Chairman of the Bangladesh Shishu Academy.<ref name=songbird/>

Hossain's novel Bhumi O Kusum was the first work in Bangla literature to address the enclave issue.<ref name=songbird/>

Works

Stories

• Utso Theke Nirontor (1969)
• Jolobotee Megher Batash (1975)
• Khol Korotal (1982)
• Porojonmo (1986)
• Manushti (1993)
• Motijaner Meyera (1995)
• Onura Purnima (2008)
• Sokhinar Chondrakola (2008)
• Ekaler Pantaburi (2008)
• Obelar Dinkhon (2009)
• Narir Rupkotha (2009)
• Nunpantar Goragori (2014)
• Mrityur Nilpadma (2015)

Awards

Selina Hossain with Sitakanta Mahapatra, Suman Pokhrel and other recipients of SAARC Literary Award - 2015

• Dr. Muhammad Enamul Huq Gold Medal (1969)
• Bangla Academy Literary Award (1980)
• Alaol Literary Award (1981)<ref name=unesco/>
• Kamar Mushtari Memorial Prize (1987)
• Philips Literary Prize (1994)
• Alakta Literary Award (1994)
• Premchand Fellowship of Sahitya Akademi<ref>"Premchand Fellowship Winners". Sahitya Akademi of India. Retrieved 24 June 2021.</ref>
• Ekushey Padak (2009)
• Rabindra Smriti Puraskar by IIPM. New Delhi (2010)
• Chandrabati Academy Gold Medal (2010)
• International Award for Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) from the Rabindra Bharati University (2010)
• Surma Choudhury Memorial Award by IIPM New Delhi (2011)
• SAARC Literary Award (2015)<ref>"Selina Hossain wins Saarc Lit Award". The Daily Star. 2015-02-11. Retrieved 2018-02-20.</ref>
• Independence Day Award (2018)