A writer who is a two-time Bangla Academy awardee, in 2009 and 2019 for her literary works, today returned her awards to mark her protest against the decision of the academy to award Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, yesterday.
“I’ve already sent my official mail to the academy and have asked them to guide me what else I need to do to return it properly,” said Ratna Rashid Banerjee, at a press conference at her Burdwan town residence today.
The writer said, “The way the Academi’s caprice has reflected nepotism and surrender to the power corridors, the awards conferred to me for my contribution to Bengali literature twice earlier, appears to be the crown of thorns, which I’m unable to bear. So, it’s better to be returned back to the custody of the ‘pundits’ sitting and dictating the show from there.”
On 26 July, 2019 Ratna Rashid Banerjee was awarded with Annadashankar Roy Memorial Award. In 2009, she’d received her first Academi award Ranjit Singha Award for her literary contributions. She retired as an education department officer and engaged herself in writing and wood works. She has authored 34 books and received 22 awards.
The chief minister, Mamata Banerjee was honoured with Kabita Bitan for her ‘relentless literary pursuit’ by the academy during poet Rabindranath Tagore’s 162nd birthday celebration yesterday.
Anadiranjan Biswas, the member of Bengali advisory board of Sahitya Academi, Kolkata incidentally has also forwarded her resignation to the regional secretary of the Academy from Port Blair, Andaman, today.