Mohon Raihan to get award as govt revises decision

Poet Mohon Raihan, whose Bangla Academy Literary Award was cancelled, will receive the award on March 2 as the government revised its previous decision.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs shared this development in a notice on Saturday, February 28.

The authorities suspended the award after some complaints were raised about Mohon Raihan's writings and poems since the announcement of his name as one of the award winners, the notice said.

"To review the complaints, the ministry held an urgent meeting on Friday, February 27, and decided to give the award to Mohon Raihan with the consent of the Prime Minister," the notice read.

Also read: Mohon Raihan learns of award cancellation upon arrival

Earlier on Thursday, February 26, poet Mohon Raihan learned upon arriving at the venue that his Bangla Academy Literary Award in poetry had been cancelled.

Raihan said he had no prior indication of any change. “I did not expect this award at all. I did not lobby anyone for it. The award committee selected me spontaneously,” he stated.

According to the poet, awardees were contacted by the Special Security Force (SSF) a day earlier and even attended a rehearsal for the ceremony. 

However, when he arrived at the Bangla Academy premises on Thursday for the award ceremony, he was informed that his award had been withdrawn.

Raihan alleged that a group had approached Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and objected to his decades-old poem “Taherer Swapna”, written 41 years ago about Colonel Abu Taher. Following that, he claims, the decision was reversed.

RMM/MSU