Dr. Saleh Rahman, AKA Sezan Mahmud, is a renowned medical scientist, educator, public health professional, and a distinguished expert in equity, inclusion, and diversity. His scholarly works focus on health equity, social determinants of health, global health, cancer prevention and control, community-based Participatory research (CBPR), health disparities, and emerging infectious diseases. He is one of the researchers who started looking at Social Determinants of Health, including Zip Code, and coined 'Community Economic Status' to measure socioeconomic and environmental disparities in the late 90s. He continued this line of research on GIS-based access to care and travel impediments and the Distress Community Index (DCI) to measure historical disparities and effects of structural racism.[5] He has received numerous research grants, including a multi-million-dollar National Institute of Health (NIH)-funded P20 Center of Excellence for Cancer Research, Training and Community Service grant. Based on his research, he has developed a CBPR-Social Marketing Intersection Model, Behavioral Theoretical Model for Health Services.[6] He has been interviewed as an expert by numerous national and international media, including NPR (National Public Radio), Smashable.com, Voice of America, ATN Bangla, Ekattor TV, Channel I on the COVID-19 pandemic and Ebola Outbreak.[7] He serves as an editorial board member, reviewer of many peer-reviewed journals, and member of professional organizations such as the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE), International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE), American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), American Public Health Association (APHA), International Diabetes Federation (IDF), European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), American Association for Diabetes Educator (AADE).
Literature
Sezan Mahmud published his debut novel "AgniBalak" (অগ্নিবালক) in 2009, well received by eminent writers and critics of contemporary Bengali literature. AgniBalak is translated by Fayeza Hasanat and published by Austin Macauley Publishers in 2020, entitled FIRE BORN. His book on the true, untold stories of Naval Commandos in the Bangladesh liberation war (1971), one of the first books on true stories of Liberation war, Operation Jackpot ("অপারেশন জ্যাকপট", ১৯৯১) was translated into English and published in Amazon Kindle version.[8] His contribution to popularize the history of liberation war of Bangladesh to youngsters is noteworthy. His juvenile novel based on the liberation war ('Moner Ghuri Latai', 1992) was retold in the full-length feature film "Gourob" (গৌরব) directed by nationally awarded film director Harunur Rashid. His writing has been selected and included by Bangladesh Text Book Board[9] since 1996 in the sixth grade along with the most eminent writers of Bengali literature.
Science Based Adventure Samagra, Vol. 1 (Jhingeful Prokashoni, 2010)
MuktiJuddher Kishor Rachana Samogra, Vol. 1 (Mawla Brothers, 2002) - a compilation of four novels/docu-novels based on the liberation war of Bangladesh
Novels and docu-novel on the Liberation war
Fire Born (English Translation) (Austin Macauley Publishers, 2020) [10]
Nirbachito Kishor Rahashshay Galpo (Kakoli Prokashoni, 1992, Second edition, 2005)
Chokh Firiye Dekhi (1992)
Filmography
Lashkata Ghar, a documentary film on the people called Dom (considered lower cast and untouchable) written and directed by Sezan Mahmud, has received 2014 Honorable Mention Award at the Richmond International Film Festival.[18]
Script for "Gourob" based on his novel "Moner Ghuri Latai", Directed by nationally awarded director Harunur Rashid, Produced by Bangladesh Shishu Academy (1998)