5 Brilliant Bangladeshi Books You Need To Read
The beautiful and brilliant literature that has emerged from Bangladesh reflects the nation’s rich history, cultural diversity, and socio-political dynamics.
Evolving through three historical phases that parallel the region’s political transformations, it is often seen as a thrice-born tradition.
With roots extending beyond the establishment of Bangladesh as an independent nation, it has evolved through colonial encounters and post-independence challenges, offering profound insights into the human experience.
From poetic expressions by luminaries like Rabindranath Tagore to contemporary narratives addressing themes of identity, migration, and societal complexities, Bangladeshi literature continues to captivate readers with its depth and diversity.
Here are some of the best works of Bangladeshi Literature in English.
Sultana’s Dream by Begum Rokeya
‘Sultana’s Dream’ is a groundbreaking work of feminist science fiction written by Begum Rokeya, a prominent Bengali writer, educator, and social reformer. It was initially featured in the Madras-based periodical Indian Ladies Magazine in 1905.
The narrative is both timeless and thought-provoking and is one of my favourite short stories of all time.
Set in Ladyland, a utopian world where gender roles are reversed, the short story presents a society where women are educated, hold positions of power, and men are confined to the domestic sphere.
Rokeya challenges traditional gender norms and offers a compelling vision of a society where women are liberated from patriarchal constraints.
Through her adept use of humour, irony, and satire, she illuminates the injustices faced by Bengali-speaking Muslim women, vehemently condemning social customs.
In her impassioned address at the 1926 Bengal Women’s Education Conference, Begum Rokeya strongly criticised the denial of education to women in the name of religion. She questioned the inconsistency of those professing to be Muslims while upholding gender-based educational restrictions, underscoring the urgent necessity to empower women through education and dismantle discriminatory beliefs.
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
‘Brick Lane’ is a compelling novel that delves into the life of Nazneen, a Bangladeshi woman who immigrates to the multicultural Brick Lane neighbourhood in London.
The narrative navigates Nazneen’s journey of self-discovery, examining the complexities of cultural identity, the clash between tradition and modernity, and the challenges of assimilating into a new society. Monica Ali offers a nuanced portrayal of immigrant experiences, skillfully weaving a poignant and thought-provoking tale that explores the intricacies of love, family, and the pursuit of personal freedom against the backdrop of a vibrant and diverse urban setting.
Brick Lane holds significance to Bangladesh primarily due to its association with the Bangladeshi diaspora in London. Often referred to as “Banglatown,” this vibrant enclave serves as a cultural and social hub for the Bangladeshi diaspora.
The Black Coat by Neamat Imam
Set in the 70s, ‘The Black Coat’ depicts the aftermath of the hard-fought battle for independence through which Bangladesh emerged as a nation. Yet its newfound freedom brings with it the challenges of a flood of displaced individuals seeking refuge in Dhaka.
Among them is Nur Hussain, an uneducated young man from a remote village. Though his skills are limited, he possesses a remarkable ability to mimic a famous speech by the prime minister. Nur appears at the doorstep of journalist Khaleque Biswas, in search of employment. Khaleque, sensing an opportunity, decides to mould Nur into a counterfeit Sheikh Mujib.
It is a darkly unsettling political satire that delves into the tumultuous period surrounding the birth of Bangladesh in 1971. Imam’s narrative serves as a study of the dangers of charisma and calls to question accepted versions of historical events.
The Penguin Book of Bengali Short Stories, Arunava Sinha (Edited by)
I really enjoy reading short stories to get a good understanding of a region. This short story collection will be released this year and is the first English, anthology that ‘gathers together a century’s worth of extraordinary stories.’
The prose short story arrived in Bengal in the wake of British colonizers, and Bengali writers quickly made the form their own. By the twentieth century a profusion of literary magazines and journals meant they were being avidly read by millions.
Writers responded to this hunger for words with a ferocious energy which reflected the turmoil of their times: these stories covered land wars, famine, the caste system, religious conflict, patriarchy, Partition and the liberation war that saw the emergence of the independent country of Bangladesh. Across these shifting geographical borders, writers also looked inward, evolving new literary styles and stretching the possibilities of social realism, political fiction and intimate domestic tales.
From a woman who eats fish in secret to the woes of an ageing local footballer, from the anxieties of a middle-class union rep to a lawyer who stumbles upon a philosopher’s stone, this is a collection that celebrates making art of life, in all its difficulty and joy. — Penguin Random House.
The Book of Dhaka: A City in Short Fiction
‘The Book of Dhaka: A City in Short Fiction’ is another captivating anthology of short stories that takes readers on a journey through the heart of Bangladesh’s capital. This collection of short stories offers a diverse and nuanced exploration of Dhaka, capturing the essence of the city through various talented writers.
‘Dhaka may be one of the most densely populated cities in the world — noisy, grid-locked, short on public amenities, and blighted with sprawling slums — but, as these stories show, it is also one of the most colourful and chaotically joyful places you could possibly call home. Slum kids and film stars, day-dreaming rich boys, gangsters and former freedom fighters all rub shoulders in these streets, often with Dhaka’s famous rickshaws ferrying them to and fro across cultural, economic and ethnic divides. Just like Dhaka itself, these stories thrive on the rich interplay between folk culture and high art; they both cherish and lampoon the city’s great tradition of political protest, and they pay tribute to a nation that was borne out of a love of language, one language in particular, Bangla (from which all these stories have been translated).’ — Comma Press
