...And Then There Was Darkness...

Rummana Chowdhury is the author of forty three books, both in Bengali and English, comprising of poetry, short stories, columns, novels and analytical essays. She did her Master's in Public Administration from the University of Dhaka in 1981 and was Bangladesh's national badminton champion from 1975 to 1978. She excelled academically and was also nationally acclaimed as a leading debate commentator, radio and TV talk show host and recitation leader. Today she has become a leading global commentator on issues of migration that pertain to the South Asian Diaspora, violence against women, diaspora literature, translation, cultural and historical remembrance strategies and feminist politics and culture. Rummana has received several notable awards including Meritorious Service 1977, by the RCMP of Canada, the Ontario Volunteers Award 2000, Woman Of The Year 2010 Canada and Writer and Translater: Diaspora Literature, Ontario Bengali Cultural Society 2016. She has also received several awards for her contributions to Bengali, English and Diaspora literature and translation work from Bangladesh, India, Europe and North America. Noteworthy, The International Michael Modhu Sudan Datta Literary Award 2014, Shunil Gangopadhyay Literary Award 2017, Kobi Jasim Uddin Award 2019, Bangladesh Lekhika Shongho Award for Literature and Translation 2017 amongst others. Rummana immigrated to Canada in 1982 and works as an accredited interpreter/ translator with the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada and the Ministry of the Attorney General for the last 30 years. She has been designated as an Expert Witness in the field of social and cultural conditions of Bangladesh