Professor Niaz Zaman, a distinguished educationist, author, and translator, and the Advisor to the Department of English and Modern Languages at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), has been awarded the prestigious Ekushey Padak 2025 for her outstanding contributions to the field of education and literary studies. 

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor to the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, presented the Ekushey Padak 2025 to Prof. Zaman on February 20, at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.

The Ekushey Padak, named after the historic Ekushey February (21st of February) and the Language Movement of 1952, has been conferred annually by the government since 1976 to honor individuals and organizations for their remarkable contributions to various fields of national importance, including language and literature, education, arts, journalism, social service, science and technology, and research.

Prof. Niaz Zaman completed her M.A. in English from the University of Dhaka in 1963, followed by a second M.A. from the American University in Washington, D.C., and a Ph.D. from the George Washington University in 1987. She began her teaching career soon after her first master's, with positions at Viqarunnisa Noon School, Holy Cross College, and the University of Chittagong. In 1972, she joined the Department of English at the University of Dhaka, where she taught until her retirement in 2013. She joined the Department of English and Modern Languages at IUB as the Advisor in 2006. 

Prof. Zaman's literary journey is a testament to her versatility and depth of knowledge, publishing extensively across genres, with three novels, three short story collections, and seven children’s books. Her academic contributions include A Divided Legacy: The Partition in Selected Novels of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, which received the National Archives Award and the Atwar Hussain Award from the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 

She has also explored Bangladesh's rich textile heritage through works like The Art of Kantha Embroidery and Textiles from Bengal: A Shared Legacy. Her translations, including Unfettered, a translation of Kazi Nazrul Islam’s Bandhon Hara, have brought Bengali literature to wider audiences. As an editor, Zaman has compiled significant anthologies, such as 1971 and After: Selected Stories and The Demoness: Best Bangladeshi Stories 1971–2021.

Dr. Zaman’s achievements have been recognized with several other accolades, including the Bangla Academy Award for Translation (2016), the Anannya Sahitya Puroshkar (2013), and the American Alumni Association Award for Education (2017).

BDST: 1708 HRS, FEB 20, 2025
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