Biscuits & Books with Black Swan 04 – Anupama Barua
Anupama Barua, author of ’Voices from Bangladesh’ spoke to us about her book and the inspiration behind the twenty-six short stories within it… Her book really shines a much needed light on everyday life in Bangladesh. Let’ see what Anupama could tell us.
BSBP: When did you start writing? You write so beautifully.
AB: As I mentioned in the preface, the writing was done from May to July 2021, but the concept, the dreams and the ideas behind the writing were brewing in my mind for a long time.
BSBP: What inspired you to write this series of short stories?
AB: As I have been living in England for several years, I have been asked about my country of origin. The people I meet have no idea about Bangladesh. My stories mentioned, the garment industry, cheap labour in the Middle East, the corrupted officials, I see all these in my questioners’ faces when I answer that I am from Bangladesh. By compiling these short stories, my desire was to inform the readers about my country whose rich culture, heritage and history are not described by the general media. I felt wretched by people’s ignorance and compelled to give a voice to the unheard communities of Bangladesh.
BSBP: If someone only had the chance to read one of the twenty-six short stories included, which would you hope they choose? And why?
AB: All the stories are like my thoughts or dreams. None of them can be better than others. All are different concepts in different sectors of life. However, I think “The Conflict” is the eye-opener. Here, the little girl’s dilemma about the War of Liberation and the duplicitous support of the war by her father and the monk still persists in the minds of many Bangladeshis. The people have developed a mass historical amnesia to ignore the antagonist and the cause of the Liberation War.
BSBP: What would you like the reader to know before reading?
AB: My advice to the readers is to keep an open mind. I think that having no background knowledge of Bangladesh would be better, otherwise the readers might be consciously biased.
BSBP: My favourite of the stories is ‘The Flight Attendant’, which is your favourite? If you can choose…
AB: My favourite one is the “All for One Stitch”. As a surgeon in the UK, I find that similarities happen here very frequently but they slip through the net of the Equal Opportunity. These incidents disturb me a lot. This is the life of many female surgeons in the world where women are trying to step in the male-dominated field of surgery.
BSBP: Are you writing or plan to write another book?
AB: Yes, I am writing a book about my father who was a prolific author and formidable character. These memoirs will also depict the history, civilisation and culture of that part of the Indian subcontinent which was not well documented or published adequately for the wider community of readers.
BSBP: You describe the book as offering a ‘kaleidoscopic’ view on life in Bangladesh. This imagery is so beautiful to think of. What part of Bangladesh is most beautiful to you?
AB: Bangladesh forms part of the world’s longest river delta on the Bay of Bengal. Though it is a picturesque country, it has not developed as the go-to tourist destination for adventure travellers. The Bangladesh tourist industry has improved recently, but still not as fast-growing as those in neighbouring countries like India, Myanmar or Nepal. Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest and the habitat of the last remaining Royal Bengal Tigers, is the most popular spot for nature lovers. Cox’s Bazar, the longest unbroken sandy beach, is another tourist attraction. For me, the best place is the Chittagong Hill Tracts, which are home to twelve different tribals communities in Bangladesh. Kaptai Barrage, Kaptai lake, Karnafuli River and Shangu river are mesmerising water features surrounded by lush green vegetation and hills. The traditional lifestyle and simplicity of the tribal communities are unique.
Black Swan sends thanks to Anupama for the conversation and highly recommend ‘Voices from Bangladesh’ to you all!
Where to find ‘Voice from Bangladesh’
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