About Rummana Chowdhury

Rummana Chowdhury nee Ahmad has been living in Toronto, Canada for almost 38 years now as a mother, cultural activist, a working professional, writer and volunteer in Toronto's South Asian Community. Rummana was the National Badminton Champion (1975-1978), recitation leader and debate guru while living in Bangladesh until 1981. She represented Bangladesh in the Asian Badminton Tournament, held in Hyderabad, India, in October of 1976, She immigrated to Canada after completing her Masters in Public Administration from the University of Dhaka in 1981. Author of 47 books, mainly comprising of short stories, poetry, novels, research work, essays and analytical articles, Rummana's passion is to ensure that Bangladeshi culture thrives in diasporic communities across the West. Organizing socio-culture programs, workshops, seminars and literary programs in the US, Mexico, Germany, India and all over Canada. Rummana has become a leading commentator on issues of migration, women and violence and cultural and historical remembrance strategies. Her literary endeavors and efforts as a voluntary social worker for battered Bangladeshi immigrant women and new immigrants has lead her to be recognized as an Expert Witness in the field of social religious and cultural conditions in Bangladesh by the Supreme Court of Saint Johns, Newfoundland, Canada, since March 1997. She also has to her credit three poetry post card sets in both the Bengali & English languages. She was been awarded by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for meritorious service (1997) and for special contributions in the field of Bengali language, literature and culture by the Bangladesh Association of Toronto, Canada (1998 and 1999). Presented the Ontario Volunteer's Award by the Government of Canada (2000) and the Independence Award (2009) at the Victory Day Celebrations of Bangladesh in December, 2009 by the Doctors' Convention. In March of 2010 the Ontario Bengali Cultural Society of Canada awarded her the ‘Woman of the Year’ Title. Rummana and her husband Enamul Haque Chowdhury have founded a free primary school, high school, orphanage, university-collage and hospital for marginalized communities in Feni, Bangladesh. Rummana is working as an accredited interpreter/translator at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada and the Ministry of the Attorney General for the last 38 years. She has written numerous research articles and seminar papers, and "Ganer Dali" produced a self-composed Bengali and English poetry-recital CD (1998). Presently she has 11 CDs & DVDs and 3 Poetry Post Card sets. Rummana ensures her own literary work and that of others is translated into English for global exposure. ADVISORY MEMBER: Bangla Mela, Dhaka University Forum of Canada (Alumnae), Bengali Cultural Society, Bengali Television Program of Toronto "Deshi TV", Federation of Bangladeshi Associations of North America (FOBANA), Life Member of PEN Bangladesh, Bangla Academy and Lekhika Sangha. Awarded the SOUHARDYA SHOMMANONA from Kolkata, India (2013) as a renowned Poet and Cultural Personality. They also released two more CD recitation albums of self-composed poetry in February, 2014 in both the Bengali & English Language. Received "The International Michael Madhusudan Award" in the field of Socio-Culture and Education (Held at Kolkata University, India, January' 2014). She has most recently been awarded the "Shattyendra Nath Datta Award" for her collection of Bengali short stories, ProbashGolpo / Tales From Abroad from Kolkata, India, (Calcutta University, Jan-2015). Received from the Literary & Cultural Organization of Kolkata, India “Khola Chithi” the “Poet Horobilash Biswas Smriti Award 2016”as a renowned Poet & Cultural Personality, January, 2016 at the Kolkata Bangla Academy of West Bengal, India. " Awarded the PODOKKHEP SHOMMANONA’2016, as a renowned Poet & Cultural Personality, from Kolkata, India. Honoured by the ONTARIO BENGALI CULTURAL SOCIETY ( OBCS ) as a diasporic writer for her contribution to Bengali and English literature, September,2016. Received from the Upoma Sahithya Patra of Dhaka, Bangladesh the “Upoma Sahithya Patra Shommanona’2016”as a Probashi Writer for her contribution to Bengali and English literature. (November’2016). Received the “SONARTORI SHOMMANONA’2016”as an Internationally renowned Poet & Cultural Personality by SONARTORI, Kolkata, India.(December 2016). Received “THE INTERNATIONAL BANGAMONI AWARD, 2016”from The Michael Madhusudan Academy of India as a Poet, Translator & Researcher for her contribution to Bengali and English literature in East and West Bengal and North America.(January 2017). The Literary & Cultural Organization of Kolkata, India “KholaChithi” awarded her the “Poet Sunil Ganguly Literary Smriti Award 2017”. Awarded by the “Bangladesh Lekhika Sangha” as a Writer & Translator. (2017). Awarded the “MANABI UPADHI” by the Alok Prokashona, Dhaka Bangladesh August,2019.