IMPHAL (MANIPUR) / SYLETH (BANGLADESH): Bangladesh Manipuri Sahitya Sangsad – Sylhet and Manipuri Short Story Society – India jointly organized the 3-day International Manipuri Short Story Festival 2022.
The International Manipuri Short Story Festival 2022 began at the Zilla Parishad conference hall in Sylhet, Bangladesh on Sunday.
Sylhet divisional commissioner Dr Muhammad Mosharrof Hossain was the chief guest on the occasion.
On the first day of the festival, Sinam Tanubabu Memorial International Award 2022 was conferred on Mutum Ramani Devi for her book “Fongngamdraba Cheinakhol” a collection of Manipuri short stories.
Mutum Ramani Devi is a resident of Kwakeithel Thokchom Leikai in Imphal, Manipur.
The lifetime achievement award of the Manipuri Short Story Society, India (Rajkumar Sitaljit Memorial Award) was presented to AK Seram, a resident of Sylhet in Bangladesh.
A book titled – “Panthung Tamna” a collection of Manipuri short stories was also released on the occasion.
Two books on Manipuri short stories written by Lairenlakpam Ngouba and Usharani Devi were also released as a part of the function.
Bangladesh Manipuri Sahitya Sangsad – Sylhet president AK Seram while delivering his speech at the function said that only two books on Manipuri short stories have so far been published in Bangladesh.
A total of 26 writers from India (Manipur and Assam) and Bangladesh read out their short stories in the second session of the symposium on the first day of the festival.
Notably, Manipuris are among the ethnic communities scattered in different parts of Bangladesh.