Launching Ceremony

The launch of the English translation of Kazi Nazrul Islam's “Bandhonhara” (Unfettered), by the Reading Circle, was held on November 24, at Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka. Sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank, the book contains a tribute to Kazi Nazrul Islam by Jim McCabe, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh; a message from Khilkhil Kazi, granddaughter of the National Poet; foreword by Nazrul researcher and exponent Dr. Rafiqul Islam; and preface by writer and academic Dr. Niaz Zaman. “Bandhonhara” is an epistolary novel that is the first of its kind in Bengali literature. The Reading Circle took the initiative to translate this difficult literary work. The book has been published by Nymphea Publication. Dr. Niaz Zaman is the editor of the book as well as one of the translators. Other translators are Tanveerul Haque, Asfa Hussain, Shirin Hasanat Islam, Ayesha Kabir, Jackie Kabir, Saeeda Karim Khan and Shahrukh Rahman.