The Bangla Academy is the official regulatory body of the Bengali language in Bangladesh. It is an autonomous institution funded by the Government of Bangladesh that fosters the Bengali language, literature and culture, works to develop and implement national language policy and conducts original research in Bengali. Established in 1955, it is located in the Burdwan House in Shahbagh, Dhaka, within the grounds of the University of Dhaka and Suhrawardy Udyan. The Bangla Academy hosts the annual Ekushey Book Fair.
Hasan Azizul Huq was a Bangladeshi short-story writer and novelist. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1999, Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1970 and Independence Award in 2019.
Sirajganj District is a district in the North Bengal region of Bangladesh, located in the Rajshahi Division. It is the 25th largest district by area and 9th largest district by population in Bangladesh. It is known as the gateway to North Bengal.
Neelima Ibrahim was a Bangladeshi educationist, littérateur and social worker. She is well known for her scholarship on Bengali literature but even more so for her depiction of raped and tortured women in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War in her book Ami Birangana Bolchi. She was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1969, Begum Rokeya Padak in 1996 and Ekushey Padak in 2000 by the Government of Bangladesh for her contributions to Bangla literature.
Bande Ali Mia was a Bangladeshi poet, lyricist, novelist, dramatist, essayist, children’s writer and journalist. He was awarded the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1962 and Ekushey Padak in 1988.
Syed Shamsul Haq was a Bangladeshi writer. He was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1966, Ekushey Padak in 1984 and Independence Day Award in 2000 by the Government of Bangladesh for his contributions to Bangla literature. His notable works include "Payer Awaj Pawa Jai", "Nishiddho Loban", "Khelaram Khele Ja", "Neel Dongshon" and "Mrigoya".
Abdul Gaffar Choudhury was a Bangladeshi-born British writer, journalist, columnist, political analyst and poet. He wrote the lyrics to "Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano", a widely celebrated song commemorating the Bengali Language Movement. He was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1967, Ekushey Padak in 1983, and Independence Day Award in 2009.
Selina Hossain is a Bangladeshi novelist and the current president of Bangla Academy since February 2022. Her major works include Hangor Nodi Grenade (1976) and Poka Makorer Ghor Boshoti (1996). She earned all major national awards – Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1980, Ekushey Padak in 2009 and Independence Day Award in 2018. Her novels and short stories have been translated into English, Russian, French, Japanese, Korean, Finnish and Malay. She served as the chairperson of Bangladesh Shishu Academy from 2014 until 2018.
Abul Hussain was a Bangladeshi poet. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1980 and Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1963.
Samarjit Roy Chowdhury was a Bangladeshi painter. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2014 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Amaresh Roy Chowdhury is a Bangladeshi classical vocalist of the Indian sub-continent. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2016 by the Government of Bangladesh for his contribution to classical music.
Omar Ali was a Bangladeshi poet. He was awarded Ekushey Padak by the Government of Bangladesh in 2017.
Zahidur Rahim was a Bangladeshi Rabindra Sangeet exponent. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2000 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Khalekdad Chowdhury, also known by pen names Shahadat Chowdhury and Atashbaz, is a reputed Bangladeshi writer, playwright and novelist. In recognition of his contribution to Bengali language and literature, the government of Bangladesh posthumously awarded him the country's second highest civilian award Ekushey Padak in 2018.
The Mazharul Islam Poetry Award, is given by the Bangla Academy of Bangladesh in recognition of creative genius in advancement and overall contribution in the field of poetry. It was introduced in 2010 to honor the memory of Bangladeshi poet, folklorist, and academic Mazharul Islam.
Bulbul Chowdhury was a Bangladeshi novelist and writer. He was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2021 in recognition of his contribution to the language and literature of Bangladesh.
Kalyani Ghosh is a Bangladeshi singer. She was an artist of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the Bangladesh Liberation War. She was awarded the Ekushey Padak by the Government of Bangladesh in 2024 for her special contribution to music.
