Mashiul Alam wins prestigious Civitella Ranieri fellowship in Italy

Acclaimed Bangladeshi writer, journalist, and translator Mashiul Alam has been awarded the prestigious Civitella Ranieri Fellowship, an international honour conferred on distinguished visual artists, writers, and composers from around the world. He is the first writer from Bangladesh to receive this coveted fellowship, says a press release.

The Civitella Ranieri Foundation, based in Umbertide in the province of Perugia, Italy, has hosted over a thousand fellows from more than a hundred countries since its inception in 1995. Past Bangladeshi fellows have included eminent visual artists such as Abdus Shakoor, Tayeba Lipi, Abdul Momen Milton, and architect Rizvi Hassan. Mashiul Alam now joins their ranks as a literary figure of international recognition.

The Fellowship offers a six-week fully funded residency at the historic Civitella Ranieri Castle in Umbria. It includes round-trip travel, food, and accommodation—allowing Fellows uninterrupted time to focus on their creative work in a serene and inspiring environment.

Mashiul Alam departed for Italy on Sunday to join the program, which begins on August 4. During his stay at the castle, he will be working on his novel-in-progress Laal Akash (Red Sky), set in the tumultuous final years of the Soviet Union.

This is not Alam’s first international recognition. In 2022, he participated in the International Writing Program (IWP) Fall Residency at the University of Iowa, one of the world’s most prestigious platforms for writers.

The Civitella Ranieri Fellowship represents yet another milestone in Mashiul Alam’s distinguished career and marks an important moment for Bangladeshi literature on the global stage.