Prothom Alo awards best books of 1418

The daily Prothom Alo gave away the “9th Prothom Alo Borsho Shera Boi 1418” award to the authors of the best books of last Bangla year at a gathering of writers and readers in the capital yesterday.
Noted short story writer and novelist Wasi Ahmed received the award for his book “Kalashnikover Golap,” a collection of short stories, under the creative book category.
Prof Sufi Mostafizur Rahman of Archaeology department of Jahangirnagar University and Muhammad Habibullah Pathan jointly received the award for their research-based book “Wari-Bateswar: Shekorer Sondhane.”
The authors of the best books published under Bangladeshi publications in the Bangla year 1418 were awarded a crest and Tk 50,000 each at the award distribution ceremony held at a hotel in the capital yesterday.
Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman was the president of the jury board, which included Poet Belal Chowdhury, author Shaheen Akhtar, late litterateur Abdus Shakur and Prof Ahmed Kabir.
Addressing the ceremony, Prof Sufi thanked media for giving extensive coverage to their discovery of Wari-Bateswar, the oldest archeological heritage traced in Bangladeshi region till now, back in 2004.
"The discovery of Wari-Bateswar unfolded a very glorious chapter of our nation before us. If it is not dug and explored properly, the nation will lose its invaluable historical elements," said Habibullah.
Prothom Alo Editor and Publisher Matiur Rahman mourned the recent death of eminent litterateur and musicologist Abdus Shakur.