Mohon Raihan to Receive Bangla Academy Award

The Government of Bangladesh has decided to confer the prestigious Bangla Academy Literary Award on poet Mohon Raihan following widespread public debate and criticism over the delay in presenting him with the honour. The award ceremony has been scheduled for 2 March at 11:00 a.m. at the Bangla Academy in Dhaka, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs announced.

Mohon Raihan was among ten distinguished writers nominated for the Bangla Academy Literary Award 2025, alongside nine other recipients. While the awards for the other nine nominees were officially presented last Thursday, Mohon Raihan’s recognition was withheld amid reports of alleged complaints against him. The Culture Minister of the newly formed government, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, had previously stated that the allegations required careful scrutiny before the award could be formally granted.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs released an official statement on Saturday confirming that, after thorough review, Mohon Raihan would indeed receive the award. The statement explained that following the announcement of his selection, negative reactions surfaced in newspapers and across social media platforms. Consequently, the award presentation had been temporarily postponed to allow for an official review of the allegations.

An emergency meeting was convened on 27 February at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, attended by the Minister, State Minister, and Secretary of the ministry. After careful examination of the complaints, the Prime Minister, Tariq Rahman, gave his approval for Mohon Raihan to be awarded the Bangla Academy Literary Award.

The Ministry’s press release has also been shared on its official Facebook page. It emphasised that the Bangla Academy operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, which oversees all procedural and ceremonial matters.

When asked for his reaction, Mohon Raihan told our representative that he would decide whether to accept the award after consulting the central committee of the National Poetry Council, where he currently serves as President. A meeting of the committee is scheduled for later this afternoon.

Bangla Academy Literary Award 2025 – Recipients

The decision to award Mohon Raihan comes after intense public scrutiny and ensures that all ten selected writers for 2025 are formally recognised for their outstanding contributions to Bangla literature.