Afsar Amed

{{infobox person

| name = Afsar Amed

| image =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1959|04|05|df=y}}

| birth_place = Howrah District, West Bengal, India

| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|08|04|1959|04|05|df=y}}

| death_place = Kolkata, West Bengal, India

| alma_mater = University of Calcutta

| occupation = Writer

}}

Afsar Amed (also written as Afsar Ahmed, 5 April 1959 – 4 August 2018) was an Indian Bengali writer. He wrote 27 novels and 24 other books.{{cite web

|url=https://www.thewall.in/writer-afsar-ahmed-is-no-more/

|title=প্রয়াত লেখক আফসার আহমেদ

|website=The Wall

|date=4 August 2018

|access-date=20 November 2019

|language=bn

|archive-date=13 December 2019

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213152301/https://www.thewall.in/writer-afsar-ahmed-is-no-more/

|url-status=dead

}}

Early life and education

Amed was born on 5 April 1959.{{cite web

|url=http://m.banglatribune.com/literature/news/351519/%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E2%80%8C%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%A5%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A6

|title=কিস্‌সা কথক আফসার আমেদ

|website=Bangla Tribune

|date=7 August 2018

|access-date=20 November 2019

|language=bn

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124121137/http://m.banglatribune.com/literature/news/351519/%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E2%80%8C%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%A5%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A6

|archive-date=24 November 2018

|url-status=dead

}} He pursued his post graduate education from University of Calcutta in Bangla.{{cite web

|url=https://www.aajkaal.in/news/kolkata/afsar-ahmed-died-jlmf

|title=আফসার আমেদের জীবনাবসান

|website=Aajkaal

|access-date=20 November 2019

|language=bn

|archive-date=13 December 2019

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213152301/https://www.aajkaal.in/news/kolkata/afsar-ahmed-died-jlmf

|url-status=dead

}}

Career

During Amed's early life he wrote mainly poems but later he began to write prose. His writing Bangali Musalmaner Biyer Gan was published in Porichoy in 1978.{{cite web|url=https://bengali.indianexpress.com/literature/afsar-amed-obituary-hindol-bhattacharya/

|title=আফসার আমেদ: এক নিখোঁজ লেখকের কিস্‌সা

|website=The Indian Express|date=5 August 2019|access-date=20 November 2019|language=bn

}} His first novel Ghor Gerosti was published in 1980.{{cite web

|url=https://www.aajkaal.in/news/state/the-outstanding-architect-9p5d

|title=মুসলমান সমাজের অসামান্য রূপকার

|website=Aajkaal

|date=25 December 2017

|access-date=20 November 2019

|language=bn

|archive-date=13 December 2019

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213152300/https://www.aajkaal.in/news/state/the-outstanding-architect-9p5d

|url-status=dead

}} His writings were published in Porichoy, Kalantor, Baromas, Saroswato. Besides writing he also worked in literary magazine Protikshon for some years. He worked in Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi too.

Amed's book Bibir Mithya Talaq O Talaqer Bibi Ebong Holud Pakhir Kissa was in the school curriculum in Assam. Mrinal Sen directed Aamar Bhuban was based on his novel Dhan Jyotsna.{{cite web|url=https://www.kolkatatv.org/news-details/1094

|title=আফসার আহমেদ প্রয়াত

|website=Kolkata TV|date=5 August 2018|access-date=20 November 2019|language=bn

}} This film was his last direction.{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/entertainment-news-six-best-films-by-mrinal-sen/322630

|title=Six Best Films By Mrinal Sen

|website=Outlook|date=30 December 2018|access-date=20 November 2019

}} A film titled Raat Koto Holo (2011) directed by Sandeep Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee), produced by Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), was based on his novel Hatyar Promad Jani.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/a-writer-and-a-casual-worker/cid/1278131

|title=A writer and a casual worker

|website=The Telegraph|date=3 July 2011|access-date=20 November 2019

}}

Amed also translated books of other languages into Bangla. He and Kalim Hazique translated Abdus Samad's Urdu novel Do Gaz Zamin into Bangla titled Sare Tin Hat Bhumi. He also translated a Sindhi book of Hari Motwani into Bangla. The title of the translated book was Ashroy.

Selected bibliography

=Novels=

Ghor Gerosti
Sanu Alir Nijer Jomi
Atmoporichoy
Byatha Khuje Ana
Swapnosomvash
Khondo Bikhondo
Dhanjyotsna
Bibir Mithya Talaq O Talaqer Bibi Ebong Holud Pakhir Kissa
Sei Nikhoj Manushta
Dwitiyo Bibi
Ek Ashchorjo Boshikoron Kissa
Hotyar Promad Jani
Metiaburuze Kissa
Ek Ghorsowar Kissa
Hire Vikharini O Sundori Romoni Kissa

=Translations=

Sare Tin Hat Bhumi
Ashroy

Screen adaptations

Mrinal Sen directed Aamar Bhuban (2002) was based on his novel Dhan Jyotsna.{{cite web|url=https://www.kolkatatv.org/news-details/1094

|title=আফসার আহমেদ প্রয়াত

|website=Kolkata TV|date=5 August 2018|access-date=20 November 2019|language=bn

}}

Raat Koto Holo (2011) directed by Sandeep Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee), produced by Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), was based on his novel Hatyar Promad Jani.

Awards and recognition

Amed received Somen Chanda Puraskar from Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi in 1998. He and Kalim Hazique translated Abdus Samad's Urdu novel Do Gaz Zamin into Bengali titled Sare Tin Hat Bhumi.

He was awarded Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for this work in 2000.{{cite web|url=http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/awards/anuvad_samman_suchi.jsp

|title=AKADEMI TRANSLATION PRIZES (1989–2018)

|website=Sahitya Akademi|access-date=20 November 2019

}}

He also received Bankim Puraskar in 2009.{{cite web

|url=http://www.wbpublibnet.gov.in/scl/html/awared_wining.php

|title=পুরস্কার বিজয়ী বাঙালি লেখক

|website=West Bengal Public Library Network

|access-date=20 November 2019

|language=bn

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017055528/http://www.wbpublibnet.gov.in/scl/html/awared_wining.php

|archive-date=17 October 2018

|url-status=dead

}}

He received Sahitya Akademi Award in 2017 for his novel Sei Nikhoj Manushta.{{cite web|url=http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/awards/akademi%20samman_suchi.jsp

|title=AKADEMI AWARDS (1955–2018)

|website=Sahitya Akademi|access-date=20 November 2019

}}