Highlighting stories of the overlooked

Becoming a writer was always a distant dream of theirs. But due to  harsh realities of life and meagre income, they had to sustain  themselves first. In the process, they had to bury that dream a long time ago.

Little did they know, that distant dream would become a reality.

In  this year's Ekushey Boi Mela, Bidyanondo Prakashani has published a  book titled "Nirokkhorer Golpoguccho" in translation "stories of the  illiterate" .

The writers of the 12 story compilation are --  Joynal Uddin, Mainuddin Majhi, Ruhul Amin, Zakir Patwari, Sirajul Islam,  Moslem Howlader, Asutosh Chakraborty, Naren Mondal, Momela Bibi,  Shahidul Shikder, Bidhan Howlader, Zakir Hossain and Karim Ullah.

Joynal  Uddin, one of the authors of the book, said, "I have never come to the  book fair. This is the first time I have set foot here."

Faruk Ahmed, Mizanur Rahman Saikat, Omar Faruk and Mobarak Hossain were ghost writers of the stories.

Narayan, a rickshaw-puller, designed the cover of the book.

Salman  Khan Yasin, head of public relations at Bidyanondo, said, "A copy of  the book has been sent to the authors. He saw his own story in print.  For those who have not learned to write on their own, this joyous  experience cannot be described in words."

"Through this book,  illiterate people, who have been deprived throughout their lives due to  our social system, get the chance to have their stories out. Not only  that, they will also get the price of the story. The proceeds from this  book will be handed over to them as royalties."