Bangladeshi writer (1935–2021)
Rabeya Khatun (27 December 1935 – 3 January 2021) was a Bangladeshi novelist. She wrote over 50 novels and more than 400 short stories. Her works also include essays, research, religious history and travelogues. She was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1973, Ekushey Padak in 1993 and Independence Day Award in 2017 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Khatun died of cardiac arrest on 3 January 2021 at her residence in Gulshan, Dhaka.
Early life and education.
Khatun was born on 27 December 1935 to Maulavi Mohammad Mulluk Chand and Hamida Khatun in Bikrampur in the then Bengal Presidency, British India (now in Munshiganj District, Bangladesh). She was the second of their three children. Khatun grew up in the Shantinagar area in Dhaka. She passed the entrance examination from Armanitola School in 1948.
On 23 July 1952, she married Fazlul Haque (1930–1990). He was the editor of the "Cinema" magazine. He directed "President", the first film for children in Bangladesh.
Career.
Khatun worked at "Khawatin" magazine, edited by Jahanara Imam. She then worked as the editor of the literature section of the magazine "Cinema" along with Zahir Raihan. Later she became the editor of the monthly "Angana".
Khatun was a council member of Bangla Academy. She was a member of the jury board of Bangladesh National Film Awards, Bangladesh Shishu Academy, "Notun Kuri" of Bangladesh Television.
Works.
Khatun's first story "Prashno" was published in the weekly "Juger Dabi". Her novel "Rajarbagh" was published in "Begum". She wrote her first novel "Madhumati" in 1963. She wrote about the Bangladesh Liberation War in her book "Ekattorer Noy Maash" in 1990. Two of her novels, "Nirasraya" and "Biday O Ashok Reba", have never been published.
Adaptations.
Khatun's book-to-film adaptations include "Kokhono Megh Kokhono Brishti" (2003), "Megher Pore Megh" (2004) and "Madhumati" (2011).
Personal life.
Khatun lived in Banani, a residential area in Dhaka. She had two sons and two daughters — Faridur Reza Sagar (b. 1955) is the current managing director of Impress Telefilm Limited and Channel i; Keka Ferdousi (b. 1960) is a television chef; Farhadur Reza Probal is an architect; and Farhana Kakoly.
References.
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