Two students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) have been selected for the Oitijya–Shantanu Kaiser Literary Award 2025, with their manuscripts receiving the highest evaluation from the jury in the poetry and drama categories.
In the poetry category, the award went to Hamayat Ullah Emon, a student of the 49th batch of the Department of Comparative Literature and Culture at JU, for his manuscript titled Phenaful.
In the drama category, Sharan Ahsan, a student of the 47th batch of the Department of Drama and Dramatics at the same university, won the award for his manuscript Puranama.
In addition, Zubair Rashid received the award in the fiction category for his manuscript Ghalib-er Mushaira.
The literary award was introduced jointly by the renowned publishing house Oitijjhya and the Shantanu Kaiser Memorial Library and Study Centre, Sajanmegh, in honour of the late Professor Shantanu Kaiser, a multifaceted writer and thinker.
The decision to introduce the award was taken at a joint meeting held on 28 May 2024 at the Oitijhyo office in Puran Paltan. The meeting was attended by Oitijhyo chief executive Arifur Rahman Naim and Rassel Raihan, the youngest son of Professor Shantanu Kaiser, representing the family.
Manuscripts for the 2025 awards were invited from 23 August to 15 November across several categories. Under the policy, three selected writers from five categories receive Tk 50,000 each, along with a crest and a certificate. The three winning manuscripts are also scheduled for publication in book form by Oitijhyo at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair the following year.
According to the organisers, the award announcement takes place each year on 30 December, marking the birth anniversary of Professor Shantanu Kaiser.
Reacting to the recognition, poet Hamayat Ullah Imon said the award had significantly increased his confidence and joy ahead of the publication of his first book. He added that he had made a personal commitment to continue reading and writing regularly.
