EWU hosts lecture on literary translation in memory of Nahreen Khan
East West University (EWU) held the 7th Nahreen Khan Memorial Lecture at the university's Manjur Elahi Auditorium, paying tribute to the late Nahreen Khan, a former EWU student and daughter of the late Dr. Akbar Ali Khan, former adviser to the caretaker government of Bangladesh.
This year's keynote speaker was Ekushey Padak-winning academic Dr. Niaz Zaman, retired professor of English at the University of Dhaka, who delivered a lecture titled "Literary Translation and Translators: Bangladesh and Beyond."
In her remarks, Dr. Zaman examined the increasing global prominence of translated literature, citing recent winners of the International Booker Prize and the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. She discussed the rising role of literary translation in bridging cultures while highlighting the challenges of preserving cultural nuance in translation.
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Particular focus was given to the concept of "self-translation," with Rabindranath Tagore's English rendering of Gitanjali spotlighted as a defining example. The lecture also traced the evolution of Bangladesh's translation landscape—from a tool of international agencies to a flourishing field shaped by the diaspora, global readership, and a generation of English-educated Bangladeshis.
Dr. Zaman emphasised that international distribution remains a significant barrier to the broader recognition of Bangladeshi literary translations. She urged local publishers and writers to adopt digital platforms and actively participate in global literary events to overcome this bottleneck.
Speakers at the event included Professor Dr. Mohammed Farashuddin, Chairperson of EWU's Board of Trustees and former Governor of Bangladesh Bank; Professor Dr. Shams Rahman, Vice-Chancellor of EWU; Professor Dr. Fakrul Alam, noted academic and translator; and Air Cdre (retd.) Ishfaq Ilahi Choudhury, Treasurer of EWU.
The event was attended by faculty, students, university officials, and family members of the late Nahreen Khan, in memory of whom the annual lecture series is held.
