Poet Asim Saha and writer Wasi Ahmed have been given the IFIC Bank Literary Award 2015. The awards were given at a ceremony at the IFIC Bank Tower in the capital’s Purana Paltan area on Thursday. Marking the 40th founding anniversary of IFIC, the bank also gave the lifetime achievement award to Bishwo Shahitto Kendro founder-chairman Prof. Abdullah Abu Sayeed for his social activism and literary involvement.
Asim Saha received the award for his book ‘Mo-Borner Sonhito Mukut’, while Wasi Ahmed was honoured for his book ‘Tolkuthurir Gaan’.
Prof. Abdullah Abu Sayeed received a cheque worth Tk. 40 lakh, while both Asim Saha and Wasi Ahmed received Tk. 5 lakh along with a crest and a certificate.
The award-winning books were selected from a list of 100 books submitted in the categories of novels, essays, poems, travel stories, short stories and autobiographies. A selection committee and a jury board were formed for the selection of books. Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith was present as chief guest at the award ceremony, while principal secretary to the Prime Minister, Kamal Chowdhury, and Bangla Academy director general Shamsuzzaman Khan were present as special guests. IFIC bank chairman Salman F Rahman delivered the welcome address. The bank’s managing director and chief executive officer, Shah A Sarwar, gave the vote of thanks. The bank has been giving literary awards since 2011 for the contribution of contemporary poets and writers in the field of Bangla literature.