Novelist and essayist Md Ashanur Rahman has been awarded The International Creative Arts Award 2025 by the International Creative Arts, Language & Development Research Centre of Dhaka University for his contribution to literature and its role in “Enriching Minds and Inspiring Lives.”
The award giving ceremony was held at the RC Mujumdar Hall of Dhaka University recently, said a press release on Sunday..
The honour was conferred in recognition of his debut novel ‘Lenin’, published in 2024—a work that has drawn wide critical and readerly attention for its depth, originality, and philosophical intensity.
The novel is a bold literary reimagining of the life and ideas of Vladimir Ilich Lenin, crafted through nearly six years of meticulous research and sustained creative effort. Crossing geographical and generational boundaries, Lenin has found a strong readership among Bengali readers in Bangladesh, India, and North America, and has been widely discussed for its reflective engagement with history, ideology, and human struggle.
In 2025, Md Ashanur Rahman further expanded his literary landscape with his first short story collection, ‘Bhor O Baruder Golpo’, a series of powerful narratives where dawn, conflict, memory, and hope intersect. The stories reveal a deep sensitivity to time and transformation, capturing the silent tensions of lives shaped by violence, resilience, and quiet endurance.
Beyond his books, he remains actively engaged in the literary world.
He is a co-editor of Mononrekha, a half-yearly literary magazine, and Lekhālekhir Uthān, a web-based platform dedicated to art, literature, and culture. His essays and reflections on literature are regularly published in leading national dailies, including Daily Prothom Alo, Daily Banik Barta and Daily Samakal, where his thoughtful voice continues to contribute to contemporary literary discourse.
Alongside his literary pursuits, Md. Ashanur Rahman is a senior banking professional with over two decades of experience and currently serves as Deputy Managing Director, Chief Economist, and Country Business Manager of City Bank PLC. Despite the demands of his professional life, he writes with unwavering dedication—often in moments borrowed from routine—guided by a belief that literature is not a luxury, but a moral responsibility.
The International Creative Arts Award 2025 celebrates not only the success of Lenin as a novel, but also a literary journey that bridges discipline and imagination, affirming that enduring stories can emerge even from the most unlikely worlds, the release said.
