Muktadhara/GFB Literary Award

The Foundation accords Literary Awards to individuals for their outstanding contribution to Bangla Language and Literature. A committee headed by the Convener of the annual book fair identifies such people on the basis of three criteria: overall contribution to Bangla Language and Literature, role in upholding the spirit of Bangladesh’s Liberation War, and support for New York Bangla Boimela. This annual award is sponsored by Mr. Golam Faroque Bhuiyan, an Advisor to the Foundation, and it carries a monetary award of $2,500. In 2016 and 2017, the award was sponsored by Channel I of Bangladesh and was called the Muktadhara-Channel I Literary Award. The following individuals have so far been honored with this unique recognition:
2022 – Dr. Ghulam Murshid, Author, Scholar, and Journalist
2021 – Samaresh Majumdar, Novelist
2020 – Selina Hossain, Novelist
2019 – Dilara Hashem, Novelist
2018 – Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Writer, Educationist and Chairman, Bishwa Shahitya Kendra 
2017 – Shamsuzzaman Khan, Writer, Folklore Expert and President, Bangla Academy
2016 – Nirmalendu Goon, Poet 

Muktadhara Lifetime Achievement Award

Muktadhara Foundation, from its very outset, has made every effort to highlight and bring into focus those individuals whose lifelong contributions have greatly enriched Bangla language and literature. The honorees do not need any formal recognition, their body of work is a living testament to that. Through its Lifetime Achievement Award, the Foundation has endeavored to familiarize readers and literary enthusiasts living away from home with the work and multifaceted contributions of these individuals. This award is merely its humble effort to say ‘thank you’ for their lifelong work that continues to enliven our language and literature.

Muktadhara Lifetime Achievement Award honorees:

2019 – Waled Chowdhury, MD, Cultural Activist
2019 – Faridur Reza Sagar, Writer and Managing Director, Impress Telefilm Ltd. and Channel I

Young People’s Festival Hero Award

The Young People’s Festival Hero Award is meant to recognize an individual in our community who has gone above their means to make an impact. For our inaugural Hero Award, we nominated Fabliha Anbar, Youth Coordinator for Arts & Democracy, Tazin Banu, Founder of Bengali Mental Health Movement, Raeqa Mahmud, Founder of Doodles4Change, and Afsana Monir, Founder of Project New Yorker. Their collective impact reaches across the different facets of our lives to create safe spaces for the Bangladeshi community to build themselves up and move forward together.

Shahid Qadri Book Award

The award is given annually to a Bengali Writer living outside of Bangladesh and India for a book considered outstanding for its originality and literary excellence. A committee comprising three judges prepares a shortlist of five books and selects the winner from there. The award, valued at $500.00, is sponsored by Mr. Golam Faroque Bhuiyan. The winner of the Best Book of the Year Award for 2019 will be announced at the New York Bangla Boimela 2020.

Chitta Ranjan Saha Best Publisher Award

Sponsored by Dhaka’s well-known publishing house Kathaprokash, the award is given to the best publisher attending the NY Bangla Boimela. It aims at encouraging the participation of publishers of Bangla Books from Bangladesh and India in the New York Bangla Boimela. It carries an award of Tk 50,000. Ittadi Grantho Prokash (Dhaka) in 2018, Bengal Publications (Dhaka) in 2019, Anannya (Dhaka) in 2021, and Annoy Prakash (Dhaka) in 2022, have received this award so far (no publisher was awarded in 2020 since the NY Bangla Boimela was held virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions).

Johirul Abedin Jewel of Ittadi Grantho Prokash (Dhaka) receives the Chitta Ranjan Saha Best Publisher Award at NY Bangla Boimela 2018

Johirul Abedin Jewel of Ittadi Grantho Prokash (Dhaka) receives the Chitta Ranjan Saha Best Publisher Award at the New York Bangla Boimela 2018
Ittadi Grantho Prokash (Dhaka) Book Stall at NY Bangla Boimela 2018

Ittadi Grantho Prokash (Dhaka) Book Stall at the New York Bangla Boimela 2018
Abul Hasnat of Bengal Publications (Dhaka) receives the Chitta Ranjan Saha Best Publisher Award at NY Bangla Boimela 2019

Abul Hasnat of Bengal Publications (Dhaka) receives the Chitta Ranjan Saha Best Publisher Award at the New York Bangla Boimela 2019
Bengal Publications (Dhaka) Book Stall at NY Bangla Boimela 2019

Bengal Publications (Dhaka) Book Stall at the New York Bangla Boimela 2019
Nirmalendu Goon received the first Muktadhhara-Channel I Literary Award in 2016

Nirmalendu Goon received the first Muktadhhara-Channel I Literary Award in 2016
Shamsuzzaman Khan receives the Muktadhhara-Channel I Literary Award at Channel I Studio in Dhaka 2017

Shamsuzzaman Khan receives the Muktadhhara-Channel I Literary Award at Channel I Studio in Dhaka 2017
Abdullah Abu Sayeed receives the Muktadhhara-GFB Literary Award at NY Bangla Boimela 2018

Abdullah Abu Sayeed receives the Muktadhhara-GFB Literary Award at New York Bangla Boimela 2018
Dilara Hashem receives the Muktadhhara-GFB Literary Award at NY Bangla Boimela 2019

Dilara Hashem receives the Muktadhhara-GFB Literary Award at New York Bangla Boimela 2019