Books, ambitions and a pandemic

Illustration: Oishik Jawad

The Dhaka Lit Fest was called off due to the ongoing pandemic. Every year, the fest has authors from home and abroad coming together to interact with readers, discuss trendy topics and present their work. With social distancing now a necessity, interactions like those are just not feasible. Recently, Star Youth, The Daily Star, caught up with several young authors to discuss how they are coping up with the pandemic, and their reflections on the literary landscape of Bangladesh.

Shimanto Roy began his journey as an author with Golpogulo Shotti Noy in 2018. "I want to portray our conventional reality through different perspectives. Speaking of genres, magic realism is my favourite while I also plan on experimenting with fantasy fiction," he shared. He is currently working on a novel set in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a fantasy fiction, and a new compilation of short stories on magic realism. The novel, and the short stories compilation are expected to hit the Ekushey Boi Mela next year.

Shimanto is also an active member of Pencil, one of largest online groups in the Bangali community, where people talk about art and literature. "I will post some episodes of my upcoming novel, online, before publishing it in February," he further said.

Children's books have always been a popular choice among authors. Nandita Khan received an outstanding response for her book, The Elephant in the Room last year. In the long run, she intends to be a children's author, with a focus on inspirational and morality stories. She has penned a few more stories, which she plans to launch on Amazon. "Kindles and Amazon books are treasure troves for many readers, especially during the pandemic," she added. After  launching her first book in DLF 2019, she is currently working with publishers for her second book. "I would miss the opportunity of meeting the plethora of local and international  authors at the fest, who have always been a source of inspiration and joy to me," she shared.

Samai Haider is another debut author based in the United Kingdom. She developed an appreciation for picture books, after her son was born. "I wanted to give him something special for his first birthday. So, I wrote him a story about a boy who travels the world, hoping that it would instill the joy of wanderlust in him. That story went on to become Tilmund's Travel Tales," she said. 

In her opinion, literature has always been a part of our culture and she is delighted to watch quality bookshops and readers' circles come up around Dhaka. DLF has also paved the way for the general public to engage with international titles and authors. "It has given a platform to a new generation of bilingual and local English writers," she added.

Science-fiction is another popular genre among readers of all ages. Young author Syed Rafid Kabir's stories tend to revolve around far-fetched ideas and have  absurdist themes. His book, The Little Sounds of Time, was published by Worthy Publications in 2019. He said that the publishers were truly welcoming to young authors. "From editing the manuscript to distributing the copies and hosting a launching ceremony, Worthy Publications supported me through everything. I felt like I finally found my second home," he said.

Currently, he is working on the second edition of his novel. "Searing hot deserts, the afterlife, space,  the far future and the ancient past — these are all a part of my upcoming projects," he added.

Salman Mehedy Titas is another budding science-fiction author who was introduced to literature and the art of writing by his father. His current projects include an untitled dystopian novel in Bangla. "The literary landscape of Bangladesh has always been a breeding ground for inspiration. Simply having the Ekushey Boi Mela and the sheer number of publication houses and newspapers is an open invitation for writers," he shared.

Shaira Afrida Oyshee is a popular young poet. After the success of All The Quiet Places and On Days Like This, she is currently working on the LAMP Anthology, a book containing 150 poems collected from 1,500 submissions, and her third poetry book. Shaira runs a publication house and through the LAMP Anthology, she aims to connect with young poets. The submissions are sent to a literary critic who chooses the LAMP Most Promising Poet. The winner receives a book publishing contract.

While discussing the scope for young authors, Shaira said that the internet is really helpful. "The pandemic is providing us with  more time to reflect on our hobbies. There are so many online platforms for learning to write," she added. She moderates a group called Alive Writers Resources, where people regularly post about opportunities for young writers. 

UK based Bangladeshi author Shahnaz Ahsan's Hashim & Family was published earlier this year. Connecting with readers online has been an entirely new experience for her. "It was difficult to connect with people, during the publicity and promotion but I'm glad that readers all over the world have welcomed me warmly," she shared. She also participated in several literature festivals online and greatly enjoyed the process.

Rather than focusing on the virus, which has brought so much pain and loss to many, it is encouraging to see that these young authors are writing about people and experiences that are meaningful to them.