Faria Basher, a writer from Bangladesh, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2025. An international panel of judges selected the 25 shortlisted writers from nearly 8,000 submissions—a record-breaking figure and an increase of almost 10% compared to last year.

"A great story moves us, causes us to think, and sometimes changes us," said Dr Vilsoni Hereniko, serving as this year's Chair of the Judges. "This shortlist of relevant, vibrant, and essential reading is made up of the best 25 stories from a pool of almost 8,000 entries. Together, they demonstrate why the short story form must continue to be supported and promoted."

Faria Basher, shortlisted for her story "An Eye and a Leg", only recently began her journey as a writer. According to the Commonwealth Short Story Prize website: "Faria is drawn to the offbeat, the absurd and the odd—and brings these elements to her fiction." Her story, "An Eye and a Leg", has been described as "a darkly humorous and surreal take on the trope of the 'expiring' South Asian woman, with touches of the macabre." She has previously lived in the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Edinburgh and a master's degree from New York University.

Short stories by Bangladeshi writers shortlisted for the prize in previous years include: "The Geometric Wizard" by Imran Khan, translated by Arunava Sinha (2018); Shagufta Sharmeen Tania's "What Men Live By" (2022); and "Deficiency Notice" by Arman Chowdhury (2025).

Read more

Dhaka’s Arman Chowdhury shortlisted for Commonwealth Short Story Prize ‘23

The £5000 Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded annually by the Commonwealth Foundation for the best unpublished short story, ranging between 2,000 and 5,000 words, written by an author from a Commonwealth nation. The prize is open to anyone aged 18 or older, and entries are accepted in a wide range of languages, such as Bangla, Chinese, Creole, English, French, Greek, Malay, Maltese, Portuguese, Samoan, Swahili, Tamil, and Turkish. Submissions translated to English are also accepted.

Regarding this year's shortlist, Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO, Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, added, "The breadth of voices, perspectives, and experiences is awe-inspiring and a powerful reminder of the creative energy that unites us as a Commonwealth of people. We congratulate those who made the shortlist; their work speaks not only to our shared challenges but also to our hopes and aspirations."

Read more

Can a city hold a home? - Shagufta Sharmeen Tania’s short story, “What Men Live By”

Five regional winners, who will receive £2,500, will be announced on May 14, and the overall winner will be announced on June 25. The stories will appear in adda, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize's online literary magazine.