The two-day International Literature Conference titled ‘South Asian Literature Now’ ended on Friday with the discussion on South Asian poetry, language and translation.
The conference began on Thursday at Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad auditorium of Bangla Academy as part of Amar Ekushey Book Fair discussion events with the participation of some 15 poets from eight countries.
The academy organised the event to build a good bonding among local and foreign writers, poets, novelists in a bid to create a platform to exchange their literary works.
Professor Kaiser Haque presented the keynote speech at the first session on the event while Nepalese writer Avi Subedi, poet Muhammad Nurul Huda, Professor Sonia Nishat Amin and Sadaf Saj discussed.
Besides, Professor Abdus Selim presented the keynote speech on the language and translation of South Asia while Vice-Chancellor of Islamic University Rashid Askari, Faeza Hasnat and G H Habib participated in the discussion.
On the other hand, the first day of the conference focused the contemporary South Asian literature began on the Bangla Academy premises on Thursday.
Director General of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan delivered the welcome speech in the opening session of the conference while Dr Fakrul Islam presented the keynote speech.
Indian translator and researcher Radha Chakravarty discussed in the keynote speech while emeritus Professor Rafiqul Islam presided over the session.
In the second phase of the first day, Indian writer Aruna Chakrabarty and Bangladeshi writer Dr Firdous Azim exchanged their views in the contemporary Asian fiction conversation.
A discussion event on South Asian fiction was held from 2.30pm to 4pm while Rifat Munim (Bangladesh) presented the keynote speech.
Ekushey award winner Syed Monzoorul Islam, emeritus professor and one of the leading authorities of the Sinhala Language Deshamanya Jayaratna Banda Dissanayake, Colombian writer Andres Mauricio Munoz and Khaliquzzaman Ilyas also discussed on the topic.
A discussion on South Asian Theatre was held at the end of the first day while president of International Theatre Institute Ramendu Majumdar presented the keynote speech.
Shafi Ahmed, Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu, and Indian theatre personality Anshuman Bhoumick also discussed in the session.
The first edition of International Literature Conference was held on February 2-4 last year when popular and reputed poets and writers from eight countries of the world joined it.
