Bangladeshi author Shaheen Akhtar has been awarded the 3rd Asian Literary Award for her novel Talaash (Mowla Brothers, 2009), which depicts the lasting suffering of Birangona women—survivors of sexual violence during the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.

Sponsored by the Asia Cultural Centre in Gwangju, South Korea, the award was announced on November 1 at the 2020 Asian Literature Festival.

"Imperialism and colonialism, war and violence, the deceptions of war criminals, mistreatment of independence fighters, and ongoing ill-treatment of rape victims are all interwoven in the narrative of the novel," Kim Nam-il, novelist and chair of the award committee, said at the press conference. "Talaash asks fundamental questions about this history. It addresses the disconnects between 'brave women' and 'prostitutes,' 'official reverence' and 'informal contempt,' 'the sublime' and 'the scandal.' A scene in which the protagonist, Maryam, who finds herself caught in the snare of these dualities, enters another world in which she and a companion enjoy the camaraderie of fellow Birangonas, holds its own as one of the most sublime scenes in contemporary literature."

https://www.thedailystar.net/book-reviews/news/shaheen-akhtar-wins-asian-literary-award-2020-1989261