The Subir & Malini Chowdhury Center for Bangladesh Studies

On April 16, 2026, the Chowdhury Center for Bangladesh Studies hosted a talk by writer Nadeem Zaman, author of "The Inheritors," "In the Time of the Others," and "Up in the Main House & Other Stories."

Nadeem offered a thoughtful and self-reflective talk on writing fiction in relation to history, memory, and the 1971 War of Liberation. His remarks opened up questions about form, responsibility, and the many choices involved in approaching the past through fiction.

The talk was followed by a rich conversation between Nadeem and Harsha Ram, Associate Professor in Slavic Languages and Literatures and Comparative Literature, which brought out several important themes around literature, history, and storytelling.

And, as the photos show, no Chowdhury Center event is truly complete without the ceremonial bestowal of the Chowdhury Center Tote of Arms—our highest and most practical honor.

Many thanks to Nadeem Zaman, Harsha Ram, and Elora Shehabuddin for such an engaging event — and to everyone who joined us for an evening of lively ideas, generous exchange, and excellent tote-bearing.

Photos from the event below.

On Zoom next week: Tue, Apr 28 at 9 am:
The 5th Maya Mitra Das Annual Lecture on Tagore, by Professor Lala Rukh Selim, a sculptor and Professor at the Department of Sculpture, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Sukanya Banerjee (Associate Professor of English, UC Berkeley), Tausif Noor, Curatorial Associate at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive and a PhD candidate in History of Art, and Waziuddin Chowdhury (Facilities Director of the South SF Unified School District, and an Architect) will serve as discussants.

Register on Zoom at https://berkeley.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KVS1LjtyRbaibnFj7LOp5w #/registration

More about the event at
https://events.berkeley.edu/csas/event/313372-lala-rukh-selim-rabindranath-tagore-art-and-banglades

Today, April 16 @ 5 pm:
A talk by Nadeem Zaman, author of the novels "The Inheritors" (Hachette India, 2023) and "In the Time of the Others" (Picador India, 2018), and the short story collection "Up in the Main House & Other Stories" (Unnamed Press, 2019). Zaman will discuss the craft and challenges of fictionalizing historical events and characters, with a particular focus on his novel about Bangladesh’s 1971 War of Liberation. Drawing on his doctoral research into the roots of the conflict, he will reflect on the conceptual and stylistic choices that led him to write about the events of that year as fiction rather than history.

Thu, Apr 16 at 5 pm
A talk by Nadeem Zaman, author of the novel In the Time of the Others (Picador India, 2018) and the short story collection Up in the Main House & Other Stories (Unnamed Press, 2019). His fiction has appeared in literary journals in the United States, Hong Kong, India, and Bangladesh.
More at https://events.berkeley.edu/csas/event/313390-nadeem-zaman-fiction-history-story-writing-the-bangla

Thu, Apr 16 at 5 pm
A talk by Nadeem Zaman, author of the novel In the Time of the Others (Picador India, 2018) and the short story collection Up in the Main House & Other Stories (Unnamed Press, 2019). His fiction has appeared in literary journals in the United States, Hong Kong, India, and Bangladesh.
More at https://events.berkeley.edu/csas/event/313390-nadeem-zaman-fiction-history-story-writing-the-bangla

Tue, Apr 28 at 9 am on ZOOM
Lala Rukh Selim | Rabindranath Tagore, Art, and Bangladesh: An Intricate Connection (The 5th Maya Mitra Das Annual Lecture on Tagore)
Register at https://berkeley.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KVS1LjtyRbaibnFj7LOp5w #/

Lala Rukh Selim | Rabindranath Tagore, Art, and Bangladesh: An Intricate Connection (The 5th Maya Mitra Das Annual Lecture on Tagore) The Institute for South Asia Studies and the Tagore Program on Literature, Culture and Philosophy at UC Berkeley invite you to the 5th Maya Mitra D...

Today (Mar 10) | 12:30 pm | 223 Philosophy Hall

Learn about Bangladesh’s July Revolution, the BNP, its most recent constitutional reforms, and the impact that its 2026 elections will have on the nation’s ability to reform.

Webinar Screening and Q&A with Stimson Center Senior Fellow, Steve Ross.

Understanding Bangladesh’s Recent Elections - Webinar Screening and Q&A with Stimson Center Senior Fellow Steve Ross Learn About Bangladesh’s July Revolution, the BNP, its most recent constitutional reforms, and the impact that its 2026 elections will have on th...

Today! | 5 pm | 10 Stephens Hall

Feb 12, 2026 | 5 pm | 10 Stephens Hall

Last night we hosted the Chowdhury Center Distinguished Lecture for 2026 with Kazi Khaleed Ashraf in conversation about his new book, "The Great Padma: The Epic River that Made the Bengal Delta." Ashraf’s talk traced the Padma River’s extraordinary life and ecology through the first comprehensive study of the river—brought vividly to life with a remarkable collection of new photographs and maps.

Big thanks to discussants Sudipta Sen (UC Davis) and Zachary Lamb (UC Berkeley), for their sharp, generous comments and questions. And to Chowdhury Center Director Elora Shehabuddin for moderating and keeping things flowing.

Here are some photos from last night!