Shahida Rahman

Shahidun Nessa Rahman (; née Karim ; born 14 December 1971), commonly known by her pseudonym Shahida Rahman, is an English author, writer and publisher. She is best known as the author of Lascar.

Early life Rahman was born in Mill Road Maternity Hospital, Mill Road, Cambridge, and brought up in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. She is of Bangladeshi descent and both her parents are from Fenchuganj, Sylhet District. Her late father, Abdul Karim, was orphaned at a young age

In June 2012, her first historical novel Lascar was published by Indigo Dreams Publishing. Lascar was inspired by stories passed down orally through the generations about one of her paternal ancestors who one of the early lascars (sailor/seaman from East India) to work aboard the British steamships of the 19th century. It was shortlisted for the Muslim Writers Awards, Unpublished Novel Award in 2008 and longlisted for the Brit Writers Unpublished Award in 2010. which aired in 2011.

She wrote The Integration of the Hijab into Police Uniforms which was published in the Behind the Hijab anthology, in March 2009 by Monsoon Press.

In May 2016, Rahman was a Liberal Democrat prospective councillor candidate for East Chesterton ward for the second time in the Cambridge City Council election. She received 906 votes, a swing of 6% of votes compared to 2015. She lost to the Labour Party candidate who had 1,103 votes.

Awards and nominations In April 2013, Rahman was awarded a Channel S 'Special Acknowledgement Award' for her work drawing attention to the forgotten Bangladeshi cultural history and heritage. In January 2015, she was awarded the Arts and Culture Awareness award at the British Muslim Awards.

Personal life In 1990, at the age of 18, Rahman got married. She has three sons Ibrahim, Imran, Aniq and a daughter, Aminah.

Novels Year Title Credit Publisher ISBN 2009 Behind the Hijab Editor Monsoon Press 2012 Lascar Author Indigo Dreams Publishing