First Jasmines

Saima Begum is a British-Bangladeshi writer based in North London. She won the MFest Short Story Competition in 2021. Her debut novel, The First Jasmines, was shortlisted for the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026.

‘This novel explodes with energy, urgency and acute observational insight … Begum’s is an entirely fresh literary voice.’ — Marina Benjamin, The Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026‘A fiercely lyrical work … Begum shows great prowess in dealing with the horrors of sexual violence and imprisonment in a poetic, deeply human voice. Vividly written, with unforgettable characters, spirit burns bright through these pages.’ — Susanna Crossman, The Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026‘A coruscating novel with a savagely visual voice … Blisteringly told, utterly real, and laudably unflinching … this is a bold and important publication.’ — Stu Hennigan, The Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026‘Gives voice to a long-silenced period of Bangladeshi history.’ — The Skinny‘Deeply accomplished … a stark and timely reminder of how fiction can be a sociopolitical tool to humanise, but not sanitise, history.’ — Thawra‘A haunting, lyrical debut, as tender as it is brutal … Saima Begum takes the reader into the darkest depths of human nature and leads them back towards the faintest crack of light and hope. A brave, beautifully written novel.’ — Shahnaz Ahsan, author of The Jackfruit Chronicles and Hashim & Family‘Saima Begum’s The First Jasmines is a brave and powerful novel about unspeakable wartime horrors. If the story does not break your heart, her prose will.’ — Sorayya Khan, author of We Take Our Cities With Us, City of Spies, Five Queen’s Road and Noor‘A tender and compassionate tale of love and family, of sisterhood and solidarity, of dreams and survival and all the ways in which they shift shapes in the face of pain and brutality. Heartbreaking and powerful. A wonderful read.’ — Silmy Abdullah, author of Home of the Floating Lily‘Lyrical and stunning in its prose, The First Jasmines gently yet powerfully leads us from the macro narratives of war and wartime sexual violence into its intimate terrain—relational fractures, quiet survival, and the lasting scars of the violence of 1971—making it a must-read.’ — Anam Zakaria, author of 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan and India