Mashrur Arefin

He was born in Barishal. Later his family moved to Khulna and Arefin grew up there.

After passing S.S.C and H.S.C from Barishal Cadet College he studied English Literature at Aligarh Muslim University. Then he got his M.A from Dhaka University. In 1995 Arefin started his career at ANZ Grindlays Bank Limited as a management trainee. He completed his MBA from Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.[3] As a banker since mid-1990s, he has served many banks in different positions.[3]Mashrur Arefin is the managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of The City Bank Limited.[19][20][3][21]

He started writing and translating early in the 90s while he still was a student. Back then his writing and translation works had been published in various literary magazine and literary supplements of Bangladesh.

Ishwardi Mayor O Mule er Golpo, a book of a long poem was published in 2001 from 'Da' Prokashoni. It was his first book. Ishwardi Mayor O Mule er Golpo was an attempt to explore a new prose and imagery with Bangla language.

Cover of Mashrur Arefin's first Novel August Abchaya (The Eclipse of August). Cover artist- Selim Ahmed

August Abchaya (The Eclipse of August) is his first novel. The novel is a fictional work on the assassination of the first president of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It was first published in the Ekushey Book Fair, 2019. In an interview with the Dhaka Tribune after winning the Gemcon Literary Prize, 2020, Mashrur Arefin noted:

All I can say is, ‘August Abchhaya’ is touted as a historical novel. But is it really so? It definitely isn’t one that gives its own version of why things happened the way the things happened.I believe that due to the convenience of putting books certain categories, we call ‘August Abchhaya’ a historical fiction just because that historical killing business is the pivot of the novel. But a pivot is only a pivot. A lot more actually happens in the outer, larger perimeters or circumference of any center.[15]

His second novel is Althusser. It was named on the famous French philosopher Louis Althusser. It was first published in the Ekushey Book Fair, 2020.[22][23]

Prithib Elomelo Sokalbelay is his second poetry book. It was first published in the Ekushey Book Fair, 2020.[24][25]

Power and politics is the theme of much of Mashrur Arefin's Works. Most of the works by him explore how power and politics act on the individual and humankind.

Another important theme in many of Mashrur Arefin's works is the cosmic indifference to human life.

Nature is a very common and vibrant attribute of his works.

Another theme in Mashrur Arefin's works is time- or rather, the passage of time.

• August Abchaya (আগস্ট আবছায়া, The Eclipse of August, 2019)
• Althusser (আলথুসার, Althusser, 2020)

• Ishwardi, Mayor O Muler Golpo (ঈশ্বরদী, মেয়র ও মিউলের গল্প, 2001)
• Prithibi Elomelo Sokalbelay (পৃথিবী এলোমেলো সকালবেলায়, 2020)

• Franz Kafka Galpa-Samagra (ফ্রানৎস কাফকা গল্পসমগ্র, Complete Stories of Franz Kafka, 2013)
• Iliad (ইলিয়াড, Iliad, 2015)

• 2013: BRAC Bank-Samakal Literature Award for Franz Kafka’s stories (Translation, 2013)[8][9][10]
• 2020: Gemcon Shahitya Puroshkar for August Abchaya (Novel, 2019)[11][12][13][14][15]