Writer Rabeya Khatun passes away

GBNEWS24 DESK//

Noted writer Rabeya Khatun died on Sunday due to old age complications. She was 86.

Winner of many awards, including the Ekushey Padak, Independence Award, and Bangla Academy Literary Award, Rabeya Khatun breathed her last at her Banani residence in Dhaka at about 5:00pm.

Her body will be kept on the Bangla Academy premises at 12:00pm and 2:00pm at Channel-i office on Monday for paying last tributes.

Rabeya would be buried at Banani Graveyard after namaz-e-janaza.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock at the death of Rabeya Khatun.

In seperate condolence messages, they also conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family members.

Rabeya Khatun wrote more than 50 novels. Apart from writing, she was also involved in teaching and journalism. Apart from working at Ittefaq and Cinema newspapers, she also brought out a women’s monthly magazine called ‘Angana.’

She made her mark in Bangla literary scene by writing novels like Shaheb Bazar, Mon Ek Shet Kapoti, Pherari Shurjo, Anekjoner Ekjon, Jibaner Arek Naam, Dibash Rajani, Mohor Ali, Shei Ek Basantey, Pakhi Shob Korey Rob, Neel Nishit, Bayanno Golir Ek Goli and others.

For her contribution to Bangla literature, Rabeya Khatun received Ekushey Padak in 1993 and Independence Award in 2017.

Besides, she also received numerous awards including Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1973, Humayun Kadir Memorial Award in 1989, Kamar Mushtaree Shahitya Puraskar in 1994, Lekhika Sangha Award in 1994, Nasiruddin Gold Medal in 1995, Shere-e Bangla Gold Medal in 1996, Jasimuddin Award in 1996, Shapla-Doyel Award in 1996, Wrisiz Shahitya Padak in 1998, Sheltech Award (2002), Uro Shishu Shahitya Award in 2003, Michael Madhusudan Award in 2005, Gitanjali Sommanona Padak in 2015.

Rabeya Khatun was born on December 27, 1935 to Moulvi Mohammad Mulluk Chand and Hamida Khatun in Bikrampur, now in Munshiganj. She hailed from village Shologhar under Srinagar upazila in Munshiganj district. She was the second child among her three siblings. She passed entrance (secondary) examination from Armanitola School in 1948. She married to late ATM Fazlul Huque, editor of the ‘Cinema,’ first weekly newspaper related to the filmdom on July 23, 1952. ATM Fazlul Huque was also a film director, and made the country’s first children’s picture named ‘President.’ He died on October 26, 1990. The couple have four children–Faridur Reza Sagar, Keka Ferdousi, Farhadur Reza Probal and Farhana Kakoli.