In the field of both poetry and prose, Pias Majid is a bright contemporary name in Bangla literature. As an essayist, fiction writer and poet, he has received many accolades, but his achievement as an editor is equally substantial. In this interview, he talks about his latest editorial works, two very significant books, recently launched and published by Prothoma Publications.
Very recently, you’ve won the BRAC Bank-Samakal Literature Award 2018 along with Syed Manzoorul Islam and JatinSarker. Let’s begin with your experience of sharing this award with writers of such big stature.
For me, it is a matter of great joy that my nonfiction book, Monishar Mukhorekha has won me the BRAC Bank-Samakal Shahitya Puroshkar, and that too along withsuch big names as Jatin Sarker and Syed Manzoorul Islam. For me it was a moment of celebration. Also, through this award, I feel like I’ve become a part of the great tradition of both established and young writers in the country.
Very recently, Prothoma Publication, the books wing of ProthomAlo, published two highly intriguing non-fiction books of which you are the editor. One of them, Amar Dhaka, is written by Shamsur Rahman, our biggest modern poet. Since when did you start working on this book and how long did it take you to finish this work?
I was first given the proposal of compiling and editing Shamsur Rahman’s Amar Dhaka by Prothoma’s Publisher and the daily Prothom Alo’s Editor Matiur Rahman. I took on this project not just because of his offer, but due to my own long-term interest as well. From the poet’s massive body of work, I began collecting, choosing and compiling Dhaka-related prose and poetry from March 2018. After collecting relevant pictures, writing the preface and doing the necessary edits, the book was ready to be published by December 2018.
The other book, Amar Kolkata, is written by Belal Chowdhury, another legend in our poetry. He is perhaps the only poet who had and still has the biggest following in Kolkata as he spent numerous days and evenings with the writers and poets of Kolkata. Tell us something about this book.
I compiled and edited Belal Chowdhury’s Amar Kolkata around the same time. From his numerous impeccable prose pieces on Kolkata, selecting the relevant pieces was indeed quite challenging. I was also pleased to have been able to collect some of his lesser known Kolkata-centric poems. Another important part of the book is the compilation of some rare photographs, which contain Belal Chowdhury’s remarkable memories of Kolkata. I’m pleased that the readers from Kolkata have already expressed a lot of interest in this particular book.
As a young poet and writer, your career as an editor of many fascinating books already looks illustrious. What actually attracts you to continue working as an editor?
The literary satisfaction I receive from editing is on the same level as the satisfaction I derive from writing essays, fiction and poetry. I always select unpublished, rare and not previously compiled pieces that I myself enjoy as a reader and feel that they can be shared with a wider audience. I am pleased that along with my original work, my edited works are also being received warmly by the readers.
What are the other remarkable books that you have edited?
My other edited works include Rudro Tomar Darun Deepti, Poet Mohammed Rafiq’s 62 year anniversary tribute (2005); Kobi Kothon: Selected interviews of poet Shamsur Rahman (2011, Shuddhoshor); Abdul Mannan Syed’sShudheendranath Dutta: Kalo Shurjer Niche Bonhutshob (2011, Shuddhoshor; 2nd Edition 2017, Oitijjho); Abdul Mannan Syed’s Ghumer Bhitore Nidraheen(unpublished and not previously compiled collection of poems, 2012, Shuddhoshor), Syed Shamsul Haque’s Orpito Podaboli (2014, Onyoprokash), Ho Chi Min’s Poems, translated by Shamsur Rahman (2015, Ruposhi Bangla Prokashon; 2nd Edition 2017, Charulipi); Ogronthito Abdul Mannan Syed-1 (2016, Anindya Prokash) and Joleshwarir Jadukor: Syed Shamsul Haque Honorary Collection (2016, Kothaprokash), among many others.
Thank you very much.
Thanks a lot to Dhaka Tribune as well!
