Bengali-language poet Mum Rahman receives Korea’s international Golden Pen Award

Bengali-language poet and writer Mum Rahman has received one of Korea’s notable international literary honours, the KAOWL & CNPN Golden Pen Award. He has been selected as the 18th recipient of the award.

The international literary award is jointly presented by the Korean Association of World Literature (KAOWL) and Culture & People Newspaper (CNPN). An official letter signed by the award jury board chairman, poet Dr. Kang Byeong-Cheol, confirmed the selection of Mum Rahman (Muhammad Mujibur Rahman) as the 18th recipient. The official announcement of the award will be published through CNPN News on August 10, 2026.

Mum Rahman’s achievement is particularly significant as it is reportedly the first international literary award from Korea to be received by a Bengali-language poet. The recognition marks another important milestone for Bengali poetry and Bangladeshi literature on the international literary stage.

Mum Rahman was nominated for the award by internationally renowned Turkish poet Tarık Günersel. The official letter from the award authorities specifically acknowledged his nomination and his confidence in and support for Mum Rahman’s literary achievements.

The previous recipients of the 18th KAOWL & CNPN Golden Pen Award include renowned poets and writers from different countries. They are Malaysia’s Mawar Marzuki, Egypt’s George Onsy, Albania/Italy’s Irma Kurti, North Macedonia’s Katica Kulavkova, Serbia’s Dušan Gojkov, Italy’s Lidia Chiarelli, Korea’s Siyoung Doung, Belgium/Spain’s Germain Droogenbroodt, Romania’s Elena Liliana Popescu, Poland’s Kazimierz Burnat, India’s Jernail S. Aanand, Turkey’s Tarık Günersel, China’s Cao Shui, Greece’s Dimitris P. Kraniotis, Serbia’s Maja Herman-Sekulić, and Kyrgyzstan’s Rahim Karim.

Speaking about the international recognition, Mum Rahman said, “This honour brings me profound joy, while also placing a great responsibility on me. I do not see it merely as a personal achievement; I also see it as an opportunity to represent the Bengali language and the literature of Bangladesh on the international stage. I hope this recognition will deepen the timeless dialogue between Bengali poetry and poets writing in different languages around the world.”

Mum Rahman further said, “The fact that this is the first international literary award from Korea for a Bengali-language poet makes it particularly significant to me. This recognition is a small but important testament to the fact that Bengali literature is part of the broader landscape of world literature.”

The KAOWL & CNPN Golden Pen Award is presented in recognition of significant contributions to international literature and poetry. As part of its continuing tradition of honouring distinguished poets from around the world, the selection of Bangladeshi Bengali-language poet Mum Rahman is also considered a significant event for Bangladesh in the international literary arena.

Meanwhile, Korea’s CNPN has already been publishing several of Mum Rahman’s poems in three languages—Bengali, English and Korean.