Eminent novelist and the newly appointed President of Bangla Academy Selina Hossain has been formally felicitated on Monday at the academy.

The Independence Award and Ekushey Padak-winning fiction writer joined her new office on Sunday, as the Ministry of Public Administration issued a gazette notification to the effect on Thursday, February 6 regarding her appointment as the newest President of the academy for a three-year term.

Marking the homecoming of the long-term family member of the academy, a felicitation programme was arranged at its Shaheed Munier Choudhury Conference Room on Monday, joined by Bangla Academy Director General poet Nurul Huda and other officials of the academy.
The event began with observing a minute of silence, in honour of the last three late Presidents of the academy: National Professor Anisuzzaman, folklorist Professor Shamsuzzaman Khan and National Professor Rafikul Islam, as well as the last Director General late poet Habibullah Sirajee.

Following that, the new President was greeted with flowers and words by the academy officials. "The Bangla Academy family is highly delighted and honoured to welcome eminent writer Selina Hossain as the President of the academy," Bangla Academy Secretary AHM Lokman said in his welcome speech.

Director General poet Nurul Huda said, "Selina Hossain is widely revered not only in Bangladesh, but the entire subcontinent as a respected novelist and writer. We can proudly say that through her appointment, the academy is stepping up towards an even brighter future."

Thanking the academy officials, the new President Selina Hossain said, "This is my utmost honour and privilege to receive this prestigious position from such a place which is connected to my soul. In 1970, I joined this academy as a research assistant and spend 34 years of my career, and I believe this new role will also become beneficiary to the academy to which I am aspiring with the assistance of the Director General and all of our other officials."
Selina Hossain joined Bangla Academy as a research assistant in 1970 and retired as a director in 2004. Besides, she was actively involved behind many of its highly acclaimed publications including children magazine 'Dhaan-Shaliker Desh' and more.

Alongside her illustrious career as one of the most influential writers of the country, Selina Hossain represented Bangladesh in the UNESCO executive board as a member between 2009 and 2013. Following that, she served as the Chairman of Bangladesh Shishu Academy from 2014 to 2016.

Acknowledging her role in Bangladeshi literature, the government honoured her with the Independence Award in 2018 and Ekushey Padak in 2009. Bangla Academy has also honoured the eminent writer with its 'Literary Award' in 1980 for her contribution to the Bengali Language and Literature.

In 2018, Rajshahi University awarded her a Doctor of Literature degree. She has also obtained a DLitt from Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata back in 2010.