Shahed Kayes returns home

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 27: Celebrated Bangladeshi poet, essayist and human rights activist Shahed Kayes, who came to participate in Ilam Literature Festival in Ilam, has returned home.

Kayes participated in a discussion session titled 'Embodying Diversity in South Asia through Translation' at Ilam Literature Festival held in Ilam Bazaar on March 14 and 15. 

Moderated by translator Ken Subedi, the session featured other writers, including translator duo Dr. Bal Ram Adhikary and Chandra Gurung from Nepal. Besides, he also took part in poetry session.

Following the festival, poet Kayes visited the heritage sites of Kathmandu and the rural side of Bhaktapur.

"I visited many heritage sites and city areas of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. But never do I forget the visit to Gundu, a rural area of Bhaktapur district," he said. 

"It was a wonderful village with mesmerising natural beauty, greenery, farming, surrounding hillocks and jungles." Kayes is also a teacher and human rights fighter.  He initiated a movement for educating the Dalits and deprived children of gipsy, cobbler, fisher folk and indigenous communities in rural Bangladesh.

Moreover, he also initiated a movement called ‘Save Mayadip Movement’ against the illegal sand mining to save twelve thousand fishermen’s homes, livelihood and environment at Mayadip-Nunertek island, surrounded by Meghna River in Bangladesh.  

He is the founder and policy director of Subornogram Foundation, a civil society organisation based in Sonargaon, Bangladesh. He has three books of poetry, one on human rights, and one edited book to his credit.

He lives in Sonargaun of Narayangunj district in Bangladesh.