In a reversal, Bangla Academy to confer award on poet Mohon Raihan

The award ceremony will be held on Mar 2

The government has decided to present the Bangla Academy Literary Award to poet Mohon Raihan, days after after the decision to present the award was put on hold amid public backlash.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs said in a statement that the award will be handed over to Raihan at Bangla Academy at 11am on Monday.

However, the poet said he has yet to decide whether he will accept it.

Officials noted that the prize had been briefly put on hold to investigate negative reactions circulating in newspapers and on social media after the initial announcement.

An emergency meeting took place at the ministry on Feb 27 to scrutinise the claims made against the poet, the statement said.

The minister, state minister and secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs attended.

“Following the review and with the prime minister’s approval, the decision to confer the 2026 Bangla Academy Literary Award to Mohon Raihan was finalised,” it read.

Asked whether he would accept the award, Mohon told bdnews24.com: "I will decide this afternoon whether to accept the award. I won’t say anything for now."