Fiction writer Proshanta Mridha won the Gemcon Sahitya Puroshkar 2018 for his book “Dugdugir Ashor.”

Young writer Hamim Kamal and poet Hasan Nayeem won the Tarun Kathashahitya Puroshkar and Gemcon Kobita Puroshkar respectively for this year.

The awards for literature in Bangla were conferred at Bangla Academy's Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad auditorium on the second day of the Dhaka Literary Festival 2018 yesterday.

Proshanta Mridha was awarded a crest and a cheque worth Tk 8 lakh. Hamim, who received the award for his story book “Shonailer Golpo”, and Nayeem, who was given award for his poetry book “Dil Nilamer Haat”, received cheques worth Tk 1 lakh each along with crests.

A board of jury selected the books after evaluating a large number of submissions in fiction published in 2017.  

Mridha, who also won the first young literary award back in 2000, said that the award will inspire him to continue his journey in literature.

Talking about his book “Dugdugir Ashor”, he said, the book is about the lives of marginalised people who do not get opportunities that are often taken for granted.

He said his writing will be successful if living standards of the marginalised communities are improved by proper government initiatives.

Prof Biswajit Ghosh, a member of the jury board, thanked the Gemcon Group for their contribution to inspire young writers in Bangladesh.

Among others, Gemcon Group Vice Chairman Kazi Nabil Ahmed MP, poet and essayist Sumon Goon, poet Dr Mohammad Sadiq, poet Asad Chowdhury and poet Rubi Rahman were present at the award ceremony.

The award was initially called Kagoj Tarun Sahitya Puroshkar, and it was renamed Best Book Award in 2003. It became the Gemcon Sahitya Puroshkar in 2007. Last year's award recipient was poet and essayist Mohammad Rafique.