AHMED TAHSIN SHAMS
Lecturer, Department of English, Notre Dame University Bangladesh
Director, Avant-garde Productions
Media Consultant, Films4Peace Foundation Managing Editor, Women in Leadership (WIL)

AHMED TAHSIN SHAMS is a Bangladeshi academic, poet, and film-maker. At present, Shams is
working as Lecturer of the Department of English at Notre Dame University Bangladesh (NDUB) since 2016, and Managing Editor at Women in Leadership (WIL), a concern of Bangladesh Brand Forum, Media Consultant at Films4Peace Foundation, Head of Public Relations and Media at Notre Dame University Bangladesh. He is also English Translation Consultant, International Film Desk, Channel-i. Besides, he contributes film-criticism at national and international journals and dailies.
Earlier, Shams used to be work as Editorial Assistant as well as Literary Editor at The Daily Observer from 2014 to 2017 and Assistant Editor at the Bangladesh Post from 2017 to 2018. In addition, Shams is the author of academic books at Bangladesh Open University.
Shams has contributed in national and international publications. For instance, his debut poetry book Theo 101 was published in 2015, by Antivirus Publication (Liverpool, England). His first prose-book Traffic of Truth was published in 2015 by Utso Prokashan (Bangladesh). Moreover, creative writings and critical reviews of Shams have also been published in national and international literary journals like Creative Parallels (Lulu Press, Inc, USA), Rock Pebbles (India), The Nilgiri Wagon (India), and Ashvamegh (India).
Shams’ on-going ventures include: Poesy Tales, a trans-creation project of poetry by Sajjad

Arefin (Director, Bangla Academy), The Myriad of Meaning in Lit-Culture Studies: An Indo-Bangla Critical Literary Canvas, a theoretical prose anthology, to be published by Tafakkur
Qanoti (Uzbekistan) in English and Uzbek languages.
On 26 August 2018, Shams lectured on ‘Diaspora Literature and Death of Languages’ at Kolkata Press Club organized by Ankur Art and Cultural Institute of India and participated in a panel discussion on four seminal books of Avik Gangopadhyay. On 2 June 2019, Shams presented a talk on the book launching ceremony of Avik Gangopadhyay at Oxford Gallery, Oxford Book Store, in Kolkata, India.
On Jan 31-Feb 2, 2019, Shams presented his paper entitled “The ‘new original’ through cultural translation: Kaafiron Ki Naamaz, the journey of pastiche from postmodern stage to Indian cinema screen” at BITS Pilani, Goa Campus, India.
Moreover, Shams presented scholarly research at International Conference on Teaching and Learning of Centre for Pedagogy, Independent University, Bangladesh on “Musical Translation Approach as Magic Wand in the Pedagogy of Literature Translation in Bangladesh” on 28 June 2018.
Shams also took training on Academic Research, Publication & Teaching Skills, organized by the Department of English and Modern Languages (DEML), North South University on 27-28 May 2018, conducted by Dr. Shyam Sharma & Dr. Eugene Hammond from Stony Brook University, New York, USA.

Shams attended as a guest at poetry-talk and performance sessions with international literary scholars at various literary summits, for instance: 1) ‘Poetry for Peace’ at Bishwo Shahitto Kendro on 30 August 2019 with two internationally renowned poets from Mexico, Dr Yuri Zambrano and Dr Mayra Chavez and 35 Bangladeshi poets, 2) ‘No War – Hug Peace’ at EMK Center with poet and translator Aminur Rahman, Continental Director of World Festival of Poetry and President of Kathak, a poetry initiative of Bangladesh along with 24 Bangladeshi poets on 22 June 2019, 3) Celebrating Poetry (1 February 2018, NDUB), 4) Ode to Neruda (23 September 2017, NDUB), 5) Dhaka International Poets Summit 2017 (31 January 2017, Gallery Chitrak), 6) Launching of Kabikantha Literary Journal (February 2, 2017, Bishwo Shahitto Kendro), 7) ‘Abar Banglar Bujhi Porey Jay Mone: Syed Shamsul Haque, Jago Bahey, Konthey Shobai’ (7 October 2016, NDUB), 8) ‘Modernism Postmodernism: Film & Drama’ (13 January 2017, DUCSU), 9) ‘Modernism Postmodernism: Poetry’ (20 January 2017), etc.
Shams, in addition, conducts various intensive workshops for youth skill development, for instance: ‘Creative Writing and Storytelling’ at NDUB on 21 July 2018, ‘Storytelling for Promoting Inclusive Governance through Films’, of Youth Peace Film 2018, an initiative by USAID, on 11 October in Cox’s Bazar, 5 series of episodes of ‘Developing Youth Academic Skills’ at various college in Dhaka, ‘Youth Peace Film’ workshop by Films4Peace Foundation (F4PF) with the support of Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) from January to July 2019.
Shams also worked as Contributing Editor with several organizations, for instance: ‘Good Governance in the Financial Sector of Bangladesh’ by Chandrabati Academy (July 2018), ‘Blue Sky’ by US Bangla Airlines (2016), and many more special magazines and tabloids. Shams is also Founder and Director of Avant-garde Productions (Dhaka, Bangladesh) that produces visual narratives: of fictions, of poems. Shams is Associate Member of Bangladesh Film Directors Guild Association and President of Art Hut.
Shams’ debut tri-episode visual fiction entitled Shunner Abritti (Sound of Silence) was aired on Channel- i (March 12-14, 2013). Written and directed by Shams, a full length feature film A Tale of Night-Flowers (Deho Station) is expected to be released by the end of 2019. His written and directed poetic visual narratives are: Bloody Deaf (2017), No More Tales (2016), and Pigland (2016). The short film Freedom of Silence (2017), written and directed by Shams, received awards in multiple categories in numerous film festivals of Bangladesh. Also, he has supervised and produced many other visual fictions.
Shams’ scriptwriting career of visual fiction includes: 6-day episode visual fiction entitled Rhythm of Life aired on Maasranga Television in Eid-Ul-Fitr in 2016, Cheyechho Jokhon aired on Ekushey Television in Eid-Ul-Fitr in 2016, Bodhon aired on Bangladesh Television on the 9th of November, 2015, Andore Alo aired on SATV on the 6th day of Eid-ul-Fitr in 2014. Shams did his schooling from Saint Joseph Higher Secondary School, Notre Dame College, and University of Dhaka (BA in English, MA in English Literature). Shams detail work profile is available at www.agproductionsbd.com and he can be reached at shams@ndub.edu.bd, +8801720640170.