Arifa Ghani Rahman

Arifa Rahman has over twenty-five years of experience in teaching literature and writing in Bangladeshi and US universities, both face to face and online. In addition, she is an experienced editor and translator. Currently, she is the Head of the Department of English and Humanities. She teaches fiction, nonfiction, and research at ULAB. She is the Executive Editor of Crossings, the peer-reviewed journal of the Department of English and Humanities, and the former Coordinator of the MA in English program. She is the Faculty Trainer for Moodle, the learning management software used at ULAB.

Program Affiliation
Department of English & Humanities (DEH)
Bachelor of Arts in English
Master of Arts in English
Education

MA (Texas A&M University, College Station, TX)
MA (Dhaka University, Dhaka)
BA (Dhaka University, Dhaka)

Areas of Interest

Fiction, Nonfiction, Bangladeshi Women's Writing, Research and Writing, Online Learning, Editing and Translation

Research & Scholarship

Awards

  • Vice Chancellor's Award of Excellence 2016 for Engagement in Teaching and Learning, ULAB
  • Gold Medal for MA in English, 1992-93, University of Dhaka
Publications

International

National

  • “The Woman/Poet/Wife: Emily Dickinson and the Influence of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.” Crossings: A Journal of English Studies, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Dhaka. Vol. 6, 2015. https://doi.org/10.59817/cjes.v6i.217.

  • “Religion and the American Dream in Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.” In Religion in the United States. Fakrul Alam and Niaz Zaman. Bangladesh Association for American Studies, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 2001.

  • “Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Homosexual or Homosocial?” HARVEST: Jahangirnagar Studies in Literature, a journal of the Department of English, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Vol. 15, 1999-2000.

  • “Raising Voices: African American Literary History,” Markin Juktarashtra Samaj O Sanskriti (US Society and Culture), Bangladesh Association for American Studies (BAAS) and United States Information Services (USIS), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Vol. 8, September, 1999.

  • “Okonkwo and His Nation: The Tragedy in Things Fall Apart,” HARVEST: Jahangirnagar Studies in Literature, a journal of the Department of English, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Vol. 14, 1997-98.

  • “Raju and Christy Mahon: Two Sides of the Same Coin?” The Jahangirnagar Review, a journal of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Part C, Vol. VIII. 1996-97.

Other Research Work

  • "Shaheen Akhtar". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 12 September 2022. https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=14638.

  • “Over-prioritization of STEM Disciplines for Women Marginalizes Humanities Research by Women.” ACU Gender Grant 2022. In collaboration with Dr. Shamsad Mortuza, Mohammad Zaki Rezwan, and Samirah Tabassum.

  • “Get Started: A Video Series for Educators Preparing to Teach Online.” The Hollings Center Small Research Grant 2020. In collaboration with Dr. Colla MacDonald, University of Ottawa; Dr. Shamsad Mortuza, ULAB; and Dr. Suhail Islam, Nazareth College, NY.

  • “Understanding the Online Teaching/Learning Environment: Preparing to Meet the Challenges.” Content provider for the online video-based course on Global Perspectives for Educators: Digital Education by The Grid Media Ltd. for K12 teaching professionals.

  • “Evaluating Secondary School English Language Teaching and Learning in Bangladesh.” RELO Grant, The American Center 2017-2018. In collaboration with Dr. Shamsad Mortuza, ULAB; Dr. Mahmud Hasan Khan, ULAB; and Mahmuda Yasmin Shaila, ULAB.

  • “Lost in Translation: Making Sense of Bangla Phrases and Idioms.” ULAB Research Grant 2015. In progress.

  • “Finding the Self: The Women in Morrison’s Sula and Walker’s The Color Purple,” A project report (completed and submitted), conducted under the Jahangirnagar University Research Project Scheme 1997-98.

Conference Presentations

  • “Academic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence: The Ethical Dilemma of Assessment in Writing-Intensive Courses” (co-authored with Sheikh Nahiyan). Presented at Osmosis 2023: Liberal Arts and AI Ecosystem, East Delta University, Chattogram. September 27, 2023.

  • "Translation Matters: Shaheen Akhtar’s Short Stories." Presented at the 19th International MELOW Conference, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. February 21-23, 2020.

  • “Online Education in Bangladesh: Prospects and Pitfalls.” Presented at the Language, Literature and Community International Conference, Department of English and Humanities, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. July 11, 2015.

Translations

  • “The Magic Staff.” (Shaheen Akhtar’s “Oloukik Chchori” – Bangla to English). Borderless Journal, June 14, 2022. https://borderlessjournal.com/2022/06/14/the-magic-staff/

  • “Déjà Vu.” (Shaheen Akhtar’s “Aro Emon Raat Chchilo” – Bangla to English). Out of Print¸ no. 44, March 2022. https://outofprintmagazine.co.in/archive/march_2022_issue/shaheen-akhtar_d%C3%A9j%C3%A0-vu.html

  • “The Green Passport.” (Shaheen Akhtar’s “Shobuj Passport” – Bangla to English). Our Many Longings: Contemporary Short Fiction from Bangladesh, ed. Sohana Manzoor. Odisha, India: Dhauli Books, 2021.

  • “Seeking Shaila.” (Sumon Rahman’s “Shaila’r Dike Jawa” – Bangla to English). When the Mango Tree Blossomed: Fifty Short Stories from Bangladesh, ed. Niaz Zaman. Dhaka: Nymphea Publication, 2021.

  • Inscriptions in Stone (Kazi Shahid Ahmed’s Jiboner Shilalipi in English). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Kagoj Prokashon, 2021.

  • “Musings of a Gravedigger.” (Rabeya Khatun’s “Jonoiko Gorkhodoker Attobishleshon” – Bangla to English). Arts & Letters. Dhaka Tribune. Dhaka, Bangladesh. January 14, 2021.

  • “The Flag: A Story.” (Syed Manzoorul Islam’s “Nishaan” – Bangla to English). Arts & Letters. Dhaka Tribune, Dhaka, Bangladesh. December 16, 2020. https://archive.dhakatribune.com/magazine/arts-letters/2020/12/16/the-flag-a-story.

  • “Taj Mahal.” (Shaheen Akhtar’s “Taj Mahal” – Bangla to English). City: A Journal of South Asian Literature, Vol. 7. Edited by Ajmal Kamal and Sophia Naz. Bangalore/Lucknow, India: City Press Bangalore/Notnul. 2019. 192-209.

  • “The Story of a Moonlit Night.” (Shaheen Akhtar’s “Madhuchandrima Raater Golpo” – Bangla to English). Published in 3 parts in Star Literature. The Daily Star. Dhaka, Bangladesh. February 2, 9, and 16, 2019. https://www.thedailystar.net/literature/news/the-story-moonlit-night-part-i-1696135
    https://www.thedailystar.net/literature/news/the-story-moonlit-night-part-2-1699456
    https://www.thedailystar.net/literature/news/the-story-moonlit-night-part-3-1702810.

  • “To Paradise.” (Shaheen Akhtar’s “Boner Shonge Amorloke” – Bangla to English). Star Literature, Eid Special Issue, The Daily Star. Dhaka, Bangladesh. August 20, 2018. https://www.thedailystar.net/news/literature/paradise-1622641?amp.

  • “The Days of War.” (Excerpt from Susmita Islam’s autobiography Amar Dinguli – Bangla into English). Star Literature, The Daily Star. Dhaka, Bangladesh. March 24, 2018. https://www.thedailystar.net/literature/the-days-war-1552468.

  • “Daughter” (Syed Manzoorul Islam’s “Meye” – Bangla into English). It's All Relative: An Anthology of Short Stories. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bengal Publications Limited, 2017. 9-17.

  • Selected Poems. (Kamal Chowdhury’s poetry – Bangla into English). Dhaka, Bangladesh: bengal lights books, 2017.

  • “Like Dark Clouds are Adorned” (Shah Nister Jahan’s “Kali Megh Jeno Shajilo Re” – Bangla into English), Star Literature, The Daily Star. Dhaka, Bangladesh. June 30, 2017. 13. https://www.thedailystar.net/literature/dark-clouds-are-adorned-1425943.

  • “A Fine-point Needle.”.(Salma Bani’s “Shonamukhi Shui” – Bangla into English. Six Seasons Review 3(2), June 2017. 127-142. Dhaka, Bangladesh.

  • “Home” (Shaheen Akhtar’s “Astaan” in English). The Book of Dhaka. Manchester, UK: Comma Press. September 2016.

  • “The Limits of Love” (Shaheen Akhtar’s “Bhalobashar Poridhi” in English). bengal lights. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bengal Lights. Summer 2015.

  • “A Children’s History of the Liberation War” (Muhammad Zafar Iqbal’s “Chchotoder Muktijuddher Itihash” in English). Victory Day Special. The Dhaka Tribune. Dhaka, Bangladesh. December 16, 2014. https://archive.dhakatribune.com/uncategorized/2014/12/16/a-childrens-history-of-the-liberation-war.

  • Bhoirob: An Epic Novel (Kazi Shahid Ahmed’s Bhoirob in English). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Agamee Prakashani. September 2014.

  • Silhouette (Al-Mujaheedy’s book of poems in English). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Desh Prakashan. September 2000.

  • “The Amulet,” “The Bone,” “A Pair of Pants,” and “Rabeya Apa” (4 short stories in English) in The Escape and Other Stories of 1947, ed. Niaz Zaman, Dhaka, Bangladesh: The University Press Limited, 2000.

  • “Silhouette,” “The Cleft Moon,” “Some Lines in Free Verse” (Al-Mujaheedy’s poems in English), The Daily Star. Dhaka, Bangladesh. November 20, 1999.

  • “Leech” (Abu Ishaq’s “Jonke” in English), The Daily Star. Dhaka, Bangladesh. October 9 and 16, 1999.

  • “Teen Garrideber Kahini” (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Three Garridebs” in Bangla), in Nirbachita Sherlock Holmes (Selected Stories of Sherlock Holmes), Shikha Prokashoni, Dhaka, Bangladesh. February 1998.

  • “My Companion” (Shamsur Rehman’s poem in English), Bangla Literature, a half-yearly representative journal of Bengali Literature, Organization for Social Advancement and Cultural Activities (OSACA), Dhaka, Bangladesh. July-December, 1997.

  • “Amulet” (Nazmul Alam’s “Tabij” in English), The Daily Independent Weekend Magazine. Dhaka, Bangladesh. October 31, 1997.

Articles/Stories published in dailies/weeklies

Courses Taught
ENG 1202:Introduction to Literature II: Fiction and Nonfiction
ENG 2102:Writing about Literature
ENG 4101:Research Methodology
ENG 4202:Bangladeshi Writings in English