7th ULAB Lit Salon with Prof. Durreen Shahnaz
The 7th ULAB Lit Salon, organized by the Department of English and Humanities, ULAB, was held on March 7, 2023. Moderated by ULAB Visiting Faculty, Sudeep Chakravarti, this Lit Salon showcased a conversation with Professor Durreen Shahnaz, and a poetry recitation by Ms. Sadaf Saaz.
Sudeep Chakravarti began the conversation with Prof. Shahnaz and delved into her personal experiences and stories, enchanting the audience with insights on her sources of inspiration for her upcoming book, The Defiant Optimist. With the objective of giving women a voice and of fueling change, Prof. Shahnaz shared what it means to be a defiant optimist and break free from social norms often imposed upon women. Being an investment banker and the founder of IIX (Impact Investment Exchange), Singapore, she further talked about her being a part of the finance industry that helped her curate the book.
Ms. Sadaf Saaz was also invited to come forth, where, not only did she uphold the grassroots problems of women that persist, but she also recited her poem. “I was born into a body” is Ms. Saaz’s poem featured at the beginning of The Defiant Optimist, which talks about the woes of being a woman in a patriarchal society that objectifies their bodies.
The program was graced by the presence of Professor Imran Rahman, Vice Chancellor, ULAB; Professor Kaiser Haq, Dean, School of Arts and Humanities, ULAB; Ms. Arifa Ghani Rahman, Head, DEH, ULAB; Ms. Nadia Rahman, Associate Lecturer, DEH, ULAB; as well as other faculty members and students of ULAB. The event wrapped up with some final remarks from Sudeep Chakravarti, and a token of appreciation for the guests, Professor Durreen Shahnaz and Ms. Sadaf Saaz.
Report by Ereti Rhidil Rahman (193013068)
