Humayun Ahmed ( �umajuːn aɦmed 13 November 1948 – 19 July 2012) was a

Bangladeshi Bangladeshis ( ) are the citizens and nationals of Bangladesh, a South Asian country centred on the transnational historical region of Bengal along the Bay of Bengal, eponymous bay. Bangladeshi nationality law, Bangladeshi citizenship was fo ...

novelist,

dramatist A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. Ben Jonson coined the term "playwri ...

, screenwriter, filmmaker, songwriter, scholar, and academic. His breakthrough was his debut novel ''

Nondito Noroke ''Nondito Noroke'' ( "In Blissful Hell") is a 1972 novel by Bangladeshi author Humayun Ahmed. Ahmed wrote this debut novel in 1970 while he was an undergraduate student at the University of Dhaka. Ahmed Sharif wrote the introduction of the book. ...

'' published in 1972. He wrote over 200 fiction and non-fiction books. He was one of the most popular authors and filmmakers in post-independence Bangladesh. Pakistani English newspaper

Dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the diffuse sky radiation, appearance of indirect sunlight being Rayleigh scattering, scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc ha ...

referred to him as the cultural legend of

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. In the early 1990s, Humayun Ahmed emerged as a filmmaker. He went on to make a total of eight films – each based on his novels. Some of his notable films are: ''

Daruchini Dip ''Daruchini Dwip'' () () is a Bangladeshi Bengali-language film. It was released on 31 August 2007 throughout Bangladesh. The film is based on the Bangladeshi novelist and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed’s popular novel of the same name. It was dire ...

'', ''

Aguner Poroshmoni ''Aguner Poroshmoni'' () is a 1994 film based on the novel of the same name by Humayun Ahmed, who also directed the film. The film won National Film Awards (Bangladesh), National Film Award in eight categories including Best Picture, Best Directo ...

'', ''

Srabon Megher Din ''Srabon Megher Din'' (, English: A Day of the Month Srabon) is a 1999 Bangladeshi drama film based on the novel of Humayun Ahmed. This movie based on a triangle tragic love story set in a classical village of Bangladesh directed by the writer hi ...

, Shonkhonil Karagar,

Dui Duari ''Dui Duari'' () also () is a Bangladeshi Bengali-language film. The film was released in 2000. It was directed by Bangladeshi famous novelist, film director-writer Humayun Ahmed, produced and distributed by his film producer-distributor company ...

Shyamol Chhaya ''Shyamol Chhaya'' (; English: ''The Green Shade'') is a 2004 Bangladeshi Bengali-language film. It was written and directed by Humayun Ahmed. Stars Humayun Faridi, Challenger, Riaz, Monir Khan Shimul, Ahmed Rubel, Tania Ahmed, Meher Afroz ...

'' and ''

Ghetuputra Komola ''Ghetuputra Komola'' (, ''Gheṭuputro Kômola'', Pleasure Boy Komola) is a 2012 Bangladeshi musical film written and directed by Humayun Ahmed and produced by Impress Telefilm. The film is Ahmed's last film before his death. It received Nation ...

.'' He was one of the most influential dramatist in Bangladesh during the 1990s, when he wrote the most popular soap operas. His works, such as '' Kothao Keu Nei'', ''

Aaj Robibar Aaj Robibar (Bengali language, Bengali: আজ রবিবার; ''Today's Sunday'') is a Bangladeshi television sitcom created by Humayun Ahmed that was originally aired on Bangladesh Television, BTV in 1996. The series was directed by Monir H ...

'', and ''

Bohubrihi ''Bohubrihi'' is a Bangladeshi television Drama series created by Humayun Ahmed, which aired on Bangladesh Television from 1988, to 1989. Adapted from the novel by the same name, the series quickly gained widespread popularity for its engaging st ...

'', are still considered masterpieces by fans and critics. Many Bangladeshi filmmakers are still inspired by his works. His films ''Shyamol Chhaya'' and ''Ghetuputra Komola'' were submitted for the

78th Academy Awards The 78th Academy Awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time Zone, P ...

and

85th Academy Awards The 85th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2012 and took place on February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, beginning at 5:30 p ...

respectively in the

Best Foreign Language Film The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...

category. Later he set up his own production company named Nuhash Chalachitra. Widely regarded as the greatest novelist in Bangladesh's history, he is considered one of the cornerstones in modern Bengali literature, his works are characterized by

non-violence Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...

, realistic storylines,

family drama In film and television show, television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or docudrama, semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humour, humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional te ...

, and

humor styles Humor styles are a subject of research in the field of personality psychology that focuses on the ways in which individuals differ in their use of humor. People of all ages and cultures respond to humor, but their use of it can vary greatly. There ...

. In recognition of the works of Humayun, ''

The Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...

'' wrote, "Humayun was a custodian of the Bangladeshi literary culture whose contribution single-handedly shifted the capital of Bengali literature from

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...

without any war or revolution." and entitled him "The

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

of Bangladesh".

Sunil Gangopadhyay Sunil Gangopadhyay or Sunil Ganguly (September 7, 1934 – October 23, 2012) was an Indian poet, novelist, short story writer, and critic. He played a key role in modernizing Bengali poetry and co-founded the 1953 Avant-garde, avant-gra ...

described him as the most popular writer in the

Bengali language Bengali, also known by its endonym and exonym, endonym Bangla (, , ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family. ...

for a century, and according to him (Sunil), Humayun Ahmed was even more popular than

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (anglicised as Sarat Chandra Chatterjee; 15 September 1876 – 16 January 1938) was a Bengali novelist and short story writer of the early 20th century. He generally wrote about the lives of Bengali family and socie ...

. Humayun Ahmed's books have been the top sellers at the

Ekushey Book Fair The Ekushey Book Fair, officially called the Eternal Twenty-first Book Fair, is the largest book fair in Bangladesh. Organized annually in February by Bangla Academy in Dhaka, the month-long event is free to all. In 2024, the fair attracted six ...

during every year of the 1990s and 2000s. He won the

National Film Awards The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...

a record seven times in directing, screenplay and story for the films ''Ghetuputra Komola'', ''Aguner Poroshmoni'', ''Shonkhonil Karagar'', ''

Daruchini Dwip ''Daruchini Dwip'' () () is a Bangladeshi Bengali-language film. It was released on 31 August 2007 throughout Bangladesh. The film is based on the Bangladeshi novelist and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed’s popular novel of the same name. It was direct ...

'' and Anil Bagchir Ekdin. He also won the

Bangla Academy Literary Award The Bangla Academy Literary Award (; ''Bangla Academy Shahitya Puroshkar'') is given by the Bangla Academy of Bangladesh in recognition of creative genius in advancement and overall contribution in the field of Bengali language and literature. ...

in 1981 and the

Ekushey Padak Ekushey Padak () is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of martyrs of the Bengali language movement of 1952. The award is given to recognize contributions in a number of fields, including culture, education, and e ...

in 1994 for his contribution to the

Bengali literature Bengali literature () denotes the body of writings in the Bengali language and which covers Old Bengali, Middle Bengali and Modern Bengali with the changes through the passage of time and dynastic patronization or non-patronization. Bengali h ...

Early life and background

Ahmed was born on 13 November 1948, in the Moulvi Bari of Kutubpur in Netrokona mahakuma,Current

Netrokona district Netrokona District () is a district of Mymensingh Division in north-eastern Bangladesh. Etymology The headquarters of Netrokona District was located at the end of the Mogra River and was called Natorkona. Many people believe that over a period o ...

region was a

mahakuma A mahakuma () was a mid-level administrative division used in parts of South Asia. In 1950s Assam, a ''mahakuma'' was a sub-division. As of 1977, Bangladesh was divided into 19 ''zilas'' (districts). The districts were subdivided into 62 ''mahakum ...

under

Mymensingh District Mymensingh District () is a district in Mymensingh Division Bangladesh, and is bordered in the north by Meghalaya, India and the Garo Hills, in the south by Gazipur District, in the east by the districts of Netrokona and Kishoreganj and in ...

during 1882–1984. which was then a part of the

Mymensingh district Mymensingh District () is a district in Mymensingh Division Bangladesh, and is bordered in the north by Meghalaya, India and the Garo Hills, in the south by Gazipur District, in the east by the districts of Netrokona and Kishoreganj and in ...

East Bengal East Bengal (; ''Purbô Bangla/Purbôbongo'') was the eastern province of the Dominion of Pakistan, which covered the territory of modern-day Bangladesh. It consisted of the eastern portion of the Bengal region, and existed from 1947 until 195 ...

in the

Dominion of Pakistan The Dominion of Pakistan, officially Pakistan, was an independent federal dominion in the British Commonwealth of Nations, which existed from 14 August 1947 to Pakistan Day, 23 March 1956. It was created by the passing of the Indian Independence ...

(now Bangladesh). His mother, Ayesha Foyez () (1930–2014), was a housewife. His father,

Faizur Rahman Ahmed Faizur Rahman Ahmed (; February 21, 1921 – May 5, 1971) was a police officer during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was killed by Pakistani military personnel during the war. He was given the Independence Day Award posthumously by the governm ...

(1921–1971), was a sub-divisional police officer in

Pirojpur District Pirojpur District () is a district in south-western Bangladesh. It is a part of Barisal Division. ফিরোজ সরদার ১৭০০ সালে এ অঞ্চলের গভীর বন জঙ্গল কেটে মানু ...

and was killed in 1971 during the

Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War (, ), also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalism, Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which res ...

. His grandfather, Azimuddin Ahmed, was the son of the

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

pir Jahangir Munshi. Humayun's brother,

Muhammad Zafar Iqbal Muhammed Zafar Iqbal (; ; born 23 December 1952) is a Bangladeshi science fiction author, physicist, academic, activist, former professor of computer science and engineering, and former head of the department of Electrical and Electronic Enginee ...

, is a writer and academician. Another brother, Ahsan Habib, is a cartoonist. He had three sisters – Sufia Haider, Momtaz Shahid and Rukhsana Ahmed. During his childhood, Humayun Ahmed lived in

Sylhet Sylhet (; ) is a Metropolis, metropolitan city in the north eastern region of Bangladesh. It serves as the administrative center for both the Sylhet District and the Sylhet Division. The city is situated on the banks of the Surma River and, as o ...

Comilla Comilla (), officially spelled Cumilla, is a metropolis on the banks of the Gomti River in eastern Bangladesh. Comilla was one of the cities of ancient Bengal. It was once the capital of Tripura kingdom. Comilla Airport is located in the Duli ...

Chittagong Chittagong ( ), officially Chattogram, (, ) (, or ) is the second-largest city in Bangladesh. Home to the Port of Chittagong, it is the busiest port in Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. The city is also the business capital of Bangladesh. It ...

Bogra Bogra (), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, officially Bogura, is a city located in Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh. The city is a major commercial hub in North Bengal, Northern Bangladesh. It is the second largest city in te ...

Dinajpur Dinajpur ( ) is a city and the district headquarters of Dinajpur district situated in Rangpur Division, Bangladesh. It was founded in 1786. It is located 413 km north-west of Dhaka. It is bounded on the north by Suihari, Katapara, Bangi ...

and where his father was on official assignment.

Education and early career

Ahmed studied in

Chittagong Collegiate School Chittagong Collegiate School is a government educational institution in Chittagong, the southern port city in Bangladesh. It provides education from 5th to 12th grade. The school was established in 1836 and in 2016 celebrated its 180 years of estab ...

. He passed the SSC examination from

Bogra Zilla School Bogra Zilla School () is a state school, public high school located in Bogra, Bangladesh. Established in 1853, it is one of the oldest high schools in the country. It provides education from class three (grade-3) to class ten (grade-10). It was a ...

in 1965. He then passed HSC from

Dhaka College Dhaka College (), informally known as DC, is a public educational institution of Bangladesh located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in the subcontinent. It offers Honours degree, honours and Master's degree ...

. Humayun Ahmed earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in

Chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...

from the

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public university, public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country. The University of Dhaka w ...

. He joined as a faculty member of the same university. Later he earned his PhD in

polymer chemistry Polymer chemistry is a sub-discipline of chemistry that focuses on the structures, chemical synthesis, and chemical and physical properties of polymers and macromolecules. The principles and methods used within polymer chemistry are also applic ...

from

North Dakota State University North Dakota State University (NDSU, formally North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fargo, North Dakota, United States. It was ...

. He returned to Bangladesh and taught in the department of chemistry in University of Dhaka for several more years

Works

Novels

Ahmed wrote his debut novel ''

'' ''(In Blissful Hell)'' during the 1971 Bangladesh independence war while he was a university student. The novel was published in 1972 by the initiative of writer

Ahmed Sofa Ahmed Sofa (, ; 30 June 194328 July 2001) was a Bangladeshi writer, thinker, novelist, poet, philosopher and public intellectual. Sofa is considered by many, including National Professor Abdur Razzaq and Salimullah Khan, to be the most import ...

under Khan Brother's Publishers. From his very first novel, his themes included the aspirations of average middle-class urban families and portrayed quintessential moments of their lives. His second novel was '' Shonkhonil Karagar''. Ahmed wrote fictional series featuring recurring characters such as Himu (21 novels),

Misir Ali Misir Ali () is a fictional character in a series of novels by Bangladeshi author Humayun Ahmed. He was described as one of the most famous characters in Bengali literature, TV and film over the last three decades. In the books, Ali plays the role ...

(19 novels and 11 short stories),

Shuvro Shuvro (), sometimes transliterated as Shubhro or Śubhra, is a fictional character created by Bangladeshi writer Humayun Ahmed. Shuvro is one of Ahmed's recurring characters, who first appeared in the short story "Ekti Shada Gari" ("A White Car") ...

(6 novels) Other important non-recurring characters are Baker Bhai,

Tuni Tuni is a City in Kakinada district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a second biggest City in Kakinada district. Freedom fighter Alluri Sitaramaraju studied here. It is a major commercial marketing centre for more than 200+ sur ...

and more. He wrote several novels based on the

– ''

'', ''Matal Hawa'', ''Paap'', ''1971'', '' Jochona O Jononir Golpo''., and ''

Deyal ''Deyal'' (Bengali: দেয়াল, Translation: Wall) is a 2015 political/historical novel by Bangladeshi writer Humayun Ahmed, based on the socio-political crisis in the aftermath of the war of independence of Bangladesh. It was the last no ...

''. He also wrote many romantic novels including ''

'', ''Badol Diner Prothom Kodom Phool'', ''Noboni'', ''Krishnopoksho'', ''Aj Dupure Tomar Nimontran'', and ''Tumi Amai Dekechhile Chhutir Nimontrane''. His novel ''Gouripur Junction'' was translated in nine languages. Ahmed wrote autobiographies, ''Amar Chelebela'', ''Ballpoint'', ''Fountain Pen'', ''Hiji-biji'', ''Hotel Graver Inn'', ''May Flower'', ''Kath Pencil'', ''Lilabotir Mrityu'', ''New York-er Nil Akashe Jhokjhoke Rod'' and ''Rong Pencil''.

Television and film

Ahmed's first television drama was ''Prothom Prohor'' (1983), directed by

Nawazish Ali Khan Nawazish Ali Khan is a television producer. His productions are '' Bohubrihi'' (1988-1989), '' Ayomoy'' (1990-1991), ''Jalsha'' (1994). He is the CEO at Global Television. Khan won the National Award for Best Producer in 1975 and 1976 consecutiv ...

. His first drama serial was ''

Ei Shob Din Ratri ''Eisob Dinratri'' (') is a 1985 Bangla family-drama written by Humayun Ahmed. It aired on BTV. Synopsis The drama tells the story of a middle-class joint family living in the capital city Dhaka. It depicts a middle class Bangladeshi famil ...

'' (1985). This was followed by the comedy series ''

'' (1988), the historical drama series ''

Ayomoy ''Ayomoi'' (, ''The man who would not die'') was a popular Bangladeshi television serial, written by Humayun Ahmed and directed by Nawazish Ali Khan, originally aired on Bangladesh Television in 1990–91. Blending fact with fiction and set in t ...

'' (1988), the urban drama series '' Kothao Keu Nei'' (1990), '' Nokkhotrer Raat'' (1996), and ''

'' (1999). In addition, he made single episode dramas, most notably ''Nimful'' (1997). Recurring characters in dramas directed and screenplayed by him are

Tara Tin Jon ''Tara Tin Jon'' () is a Bangladeshi television drama comedy series written and directed by author Humayun Ahmed. It began as a one-off telefilm in 2003 and centers on three bumbling, unemployed men and their misadventures as they try one scheme ...

and Alauddiner Cherager Doitto. Ahmed directed films based on his own stories. His first film, ''

'' (1994), based on the Bangladesh Liberation War, won the

19th Bangladesh National Film Awards The 19th Bangladesh National Film Awards, presented by Ministry of Information, Bangladesh to felicitate the best of Bangladeshi Cinema released in the year 1994. The ceremony took place in Dhaka and awards were given by then President of Banglad ...

in a total of eight categories, including the awards for the Best Film and the Best Director. Another film ''

Shyamal Chhaya ''Shyamol Chhaya'' (; English: ''The Green Shade'') is a 2004 Bangladeshi Bengali-language film. It was written and directed by Humayun Ahmed. Stars Humayun Faridi, Challenger, Riaz, Monir Khan Shimul, Ahmed Rubel, Tania Ahmed, Meher Afroz Sha ...

'' (2005) was also based on the same war. His last directed film, '' Ghetuputra Kamola'' (2012), the story of a teenage boy, was set in the British colonial period. ''

'' and ''Ghetuputra Kamola'' were selected as the Bangladeshi entries for the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

in 2006 and 2012 respectively, but were not nominated. In 2009, Ahmed appeared as one of two judges for the reality television music competition show Khude Gaanraj. Actor Affan Mitul debuted with his drama ''Nuruddin Swarna Padak''. It was produced and directed by Humayun Ahmed himself.

Music

Ahmed composed around 40 songs which he used in his films and television dramas. The songs were based on the folk music of the north-eastern part of Bangladesh. His notable singles include "Ekta Chhilo Shonar Konya", ''"Pubali Batashey"'', ''"O Amar Ural Ponkhi Rey"'', ''"Jodi Mon Kadey"'', ''"Ke Porailo Amar Chokh-e Kolonko Kajol"'', ''"Chadni Poshor Raite Ke Anay Shoron Kore"'', ''"Ami Aaj Bhejabo Chokh Somudrer Joley"'', ''"Cholona Brishtitey Bhiji"'', ''"Channi Poshor Raite Jeno Amar Moron Hoy"'', ''"Hablonger Bajarey Giya", "Boroshar Prothom Dine", Thikana Amar Notebook E Ache", "Baje Bongshi", "Aaj Jorir Biye", "Cholo Na Jai", "Chika Maro"'' and ''"Konya Nachilo Rey" etc.'' The songs were rendered by

Subir Nandi Subir Nandi (30 November 1953 – 7 May 2019) was a Bangladeshi musician. He won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer five times for his performance in the films '' Mahanayak'' (1984), '' Shuvoda'' (1986), '' Srabon Megher ...

, Selim Chowdhury,

S I Tutul A B M Shahidul Islam Tutul, known as S.I. Tutul, is a Bangladeshi singer and musician who is the lead singer and lead guitarist of the Dhrubotara. He graduated from the University of Chittagong. He also works in the Cinema of Bangladesh, Banglad ...

Meher Afroz Shaon Meher Afroz Shaon (born 12 October 1981) is a Bangladeshi actress, director, dancer and playback singer. She won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her performance in the film ''Krishnopokkho (film), Krishnopokkho'' ...

Sabina Yasmin Sabina Yasmin (born 4 September 1954), is a Bangladeshi singer. She is best known as a playback singer in Bengali cinema. She has won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer a record 14 times. She has recorded more th ...

Agun Khan Asifur Rahman Agoon, known as Agun (born 1971) is a Bangladeshi musician. The son of actor Khan Ataur Rahman Khan Ataur Rahman (known as Khan Ata; 11 December 1928 – 1 December 1997) was a Bangladeshi film actor, director, producer, ...

Kuddus Boyati Abdul Kuddus Boyati (born 1947) is a Bangladeshi folk singer. He is often mentioned as ''Folk Superstar'' by Bangladeshi media. Early life Kuddus was born in 1947 at Rajibpur village, Kendua Upazila of Netrokona District during the time of the B ...

and others. In his most films and TV dramas, the music composer was Maksud Jamil Mintu.

Critical response

Nobel laureate economist

Muhammad Yunus Muhammad Yunus (born 28 June 1940) is a Bangladeshi economist, entrepreneur, and civil society leader who has been serving as the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, Chief Adviser of the Interim government of Muhammad Yunus, interim Yunus ministry, g ...

assessed Ahmed's overall impact saying: "Humayun's works are the most profound and most fruitful that literature has experienced since the time of

Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...

and

Nazrul Kazi Nazrul Islam (24 May 1899 – 29 August 1976) was a Bengali poet, short story writer, journalist, lyricist and musician. He is the national poet of Bangladesh. Nazrul produced a large body of poetry, music, messages, novels, and stories ...

." Similarly, according to poet

Al Mahmud Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud (known as Al Mahmud; 11 July 1936 – 15 February 2019) was a Bangladeshi poet, novelist, and short-story writer. He is considered one of the greatest Bengali poets to have emerged in the 20th century. His work in B ...

, "one golden age of Bengali literature ended with Tagore and Nazrul and another began with Ahmed". Writer

Imdadul Haq Milan Imdadul Haq Milan (born 8 September 1955) is a Bangladeshi novelist and journalist. He was editor of the daily newspaper ''Kaler Kantho''. He is the recipient of Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1992 and Ekushey Padak in 2019. In 2018 He received ...

considered him to be "the almighty lord of Bengali literature, controlling all their actions and thoughts". ''

'', Pakistan's oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper, referred to him as the cultural legend of Bangladesh. ''

Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...

'' credited Humayun as "the person who single-handedly shifted the capital of Bengali literature from Kolkata to Dhaka".

described him as the most popular writer in the

for a century and according to him, Ahmed was even more popular than

. However, during his lifetime author

Shahriar Kabir Shahriar Kabir (; born 20 November 1950) is a Bangladeshi journalist, filmmaker, human rights activist, war crimes researcher and author of more than 70 books focusing on human rights, communalism, fundamentalism, history, and the Bangladesh ...

dismissed him for "always speaking for the establishment." Literary critic

Azfar Hussain Azfar Hussain () is a Bangladeshi American theorist, critic, academic, bilingual writer, poet, and translator. He is an Associate Professor of Integrative, Religious, and Intercultural Studies within the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studie ...

said: "I am not surprised he talks like a pro-establishment writer. I find him ignorant."

Controversy

On 11 May 2012, two chapters of Ahmed's future novel ''Deyal'' were published in the daily ''

Prothom Alo ''Prothom Alo'' () is a Bengali language, Bengali-language daily newspaper in Bangladesh, published from Dhaka. It is one of the largest circulated newspaper in Bangladesh. According to the National Media Survey of 2018, conducted by Kantar MRB ...

''. 3 days later, Attorney General of Bangladesh Mahbubey Alam drew attention of the High Court on a discrepancy about a detail of the historical event of killing

Sheikh Russel Sheikh Russel (October 18, 1964 – August 15, 1975) was the youngest child of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the former President of Bangladesh. Russel and most of his direct family were killed in their home during the 1975 military coup. Early life ...

in Ahmed's writing. The court later issued a suo moto rule and asked the authorities to provide Ahmed copies of relevant documents and judgements of the killing case, so that Ahmed could rectify the writing.

Personal life

Ahmed married Gultekin Khan in 1973. Together they had three daughters, Bipasha Ahmed,

Shila Ahmed Shila Ahmed (Bengali: শিলা আহমেদ) is a former Bangladeshi television and film actress. She won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Child Artist Award for her performance in ''Aguner Poroshmoni'' (1994). Early life and care ...

, Dr. Nova Ahmed and one son, Nuhash Humayun. Shila went on to become a television and film actress, Nova is a professor at the ECE department at

North South University North South University (, also known as NSU) is a Private university, private research university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 1992 under the Private University Act, 1992 by the then Foundation for Promotion of Education and Resea ...

, and Nuhash became a writer, film director, and producer. Bipasha also acted in a supporting role in '' Nokkhotrer Raat'' and starred in ''Mayaboti''. On 6 June 2004, Ahmed divorced Gultekin. He then married actress

in 2004. He had two sons from the second marriage, Nishad Humayun and Ninith Humayun. He later had a daughter, Lilaboti, who suffered a neonatal death. A lake in Nuhash Palli was named after her. Ahmed was a

Sunni Muslim Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...

, and he described the Islamic scholar

Muhiuddin Khan Muhiuddin Khan (; 1935–2016) was an Islamic scholar from Bangladesh and editor of '' Monthly Madina''. Khan was also a Quranic commentator, journalist, poet, writer and translator. He translated for the first time tafseer Maariful Quran into B ...

as his father figure.

Death

Ahmed had open-heart surgery at

Mount Elizabeth Hospital Mount Elizabeth Hospital, known colloquially as Mount E, is a 345-bed private hospital in Singapore operated by Parkway Health. Construction began in 1976 and the hospital officially opened on 8 December 1979. The hospital specialises in card ...

in Singapore. A few years later, during a routine checkup, doctors found a cancerous tumor in his colon. On 14 September 2011, he was flown to

Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK or MSKCC) is a cancer treatment and research institution in Manhattan in New York City. MSKCC is one of 72 National Cancer Institute– designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. Its main campus is ...

in New York City for treatment. During his stay there, he wrote the novel, ''Deyal'', based on the life of

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman and activist who was the founding president of Bangladesh. As the leader of Bangl ...

and

Ziaur Rahman Ziaur Rahman (19 January 193630 May 1981) was a Bangladeshi military officer and politician who served as the sixth president of Bangladesh from 1977 until Assassination of Ziaur Rahman, his assassination in 1981. One of the leading figures of t ...

after the period of Bangladesh Liberation War. In January 2011, he was appointed as a senior special adviser of the Bangladesh Mission to the United Nations. On 12 May 2012, Ahmed returned to Bangladesh for two weeks. He died on 19 July 2012, at 11:20pm BST at

Bellevue Hospital Bellevue Hospital (officially NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and formerly known as Bellevue Hospital Center) is a hospital in New York City and the oldest public hospital in the United States. One of the largest hospitals in the United States ...

in New York City. There was some tension in the family over the selection of his burial site, but eventually his estate, Nuhash Palli was selected.

''Nuhash Palli''

In 1987, Ahmed founded an estate, ''Nuhash Palli'', named after his son Nuhash, near Pirujali village, 25 km from

Gazipur City Gazipur () is a city in central Bangladesh. Located in Gazipur District in Dhaka Division, it is a major industrial city north of Dhaka. It is a hub for the textile industry in Bangladesh, with 75% of all garment industries situated there. It ...

, in

Gazipur District Gazipur District () is a district in central Bangladesh, that is part of the Dhaka Division. It has an area of 1806.36 km2. It is the home district of Tajuddin Ahmad, the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh and has been a prominent centre o ...

, which grew to cover 40

bigha The bigha or beegah (, , Assamese: বিঘা) is a traditional unit of measurement of area of a land, commonly used in northern & eastern India, Bangladesh and Nepal. There is no "standard" size of bigha and it varies considerably from place ...

(approximately 14 acres). He would spend much of his time at the estate when he was in Bangladesh. He formed a collection of statues there by local artist Asaduzzaman Khan and another of plants from around the world, particularly medicinal and fruit-bearing trees.

''Shomudro Bilash''

In 1988, he bought a property in the island of

Saint Martin Saint Martin may refer to: People * Saint Martin of Tours (c. 316–397), Bishop of Tours, France * Saint Martin of Braga (c. 520–580), archbishop of Bracara Augusta in Gallaecia (now Braga in Portugal) * Pope Martin I (c. 595–655), bishop of R ...

with ৳16000 ($132.03) and made a seaside residence named, 'Shomudro Bilash'. After his death in 2012, his wife

got the property handed over to her. She turned the residence into a resort. Now, the resort can be rented by tourists.

Legacy

Exim Bank, a commercial bank and Anyadin, an entertainment magazine jointly introduced an award program, ''Humayun Ahmed Sahitya Puruskar'', which would be conferred to two writers every year on Ahmed's birth anniversary – 12 November. Several cinematographic adaptations of Ahmed's stories are made after his death. '' Anil Bagchir Ekdin'' (2015), directed by

Morshedul Islam Morshedul Islam (born 1 December 1958) is a Bangladeshi film director. His notable films include ''Agami'' (1984), ''Chaka'' (1993), '' Dipu Number Two'' (1996), '' Dukhai'' (1997), ''Khelaghor'' (2006), ''Durotto'' (2006) and '' Amar Bondhu Rash ...

, won six

Bangladesh National Film Awards The National Film Awards () is an annual awards ceremony held annually in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is considered to be the most significant film award ceremony in Bangladesh. The National Film Awards were established in 1975 by the government of Ba ...

. '' Krishnopokkho'' (2016) was directed by Meher Afroz Shaon. In October 2016, she announced the production of her next film based on ''Nokkhotrer Raat''. '' Debi'' (2018) is produced by a grant from the

Government of Bangladesh The government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh () is the central government of Bangladesh. The government was constituted by the Constitution of Bangladesh comprising the executive (the president, prime minister and cabinet), the ...

Filmography

Bibliography

; In Bengali ; In English * ''1971: A Novel'' * ''

In Blissful Hell ''Nondito Noroke'' ( "In Blissful Hell") is a 1972 novel by Bangladeshi author Humayun Ahmed. Ahmed wrote this debut novel in 1970 while he was an undergraduate student at the University of Dhaka. Ahmed Sharif wrote the introduction of the book. A ...

'' * '' Flowers of Flame'' * ''Gouripur Junction''

Translations

*''

The Exorcist ''The Exorcist'' is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin from a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on The Exorcist (novel), his 1971 novel. The film stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller (play ...

'' by

William Peter Blatty William Peter Blatty (January 7, 1928 – January 12, 2017) was an American writer, director and producer. He is best known for his 1971 novel ''The Exorcist (novel), The Exorcist'' and for his screenplay for The Exorcist, the 1973 film adaptat ...

Awards

* Lekhak Shibir Prize (1973) *

(1981) * Shishu Academy Award * Zainul Abedin Gold Medal * Michael Madhusudan Medal (1987) * Bachsas Award for Best Story (1988) * Humayun Qadir Memorial Prize (1990) * Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Story (1994) *

Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Film The Bangladesh National Award for Best Film (officially National Award Best Film ) is one of the categories in the National Film Awards presented annually by the Department of Films and Publications, the organisation set up by Ministry of Infor ...

(1994) *

Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Dialogue The Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Dialogue () is one of the most honourable film awards in Bangladesh. Since 1978, the awards have been given for best dialogue. The first award winner was Subhash Dutta. List of winners Records and s ...

(1994) *

(1994) * Sheltech Award (2007) *

Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Screenplay The Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Screenplay () is one of the highest film awards in Bangladesh. Since 1975, the awards are given in the category of best screenplay. The first award winner was ''Khan Ataur Rahman Khan Ataur Rahman ...

(2007) *

Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Director National Film Award for Best Director () is the highest award for film directors in Bangladesh, presented annually at Bangladesh National Film Awards ceremony by the Ministry of Information. It is given in honour of a film director who has exhibi ...

(2012) * Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Screenplay (2012) * Meril-Prothom Alo Award for best director (2013) * * Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Dialogue (2015)

References

Footnotes Citations

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Humayun Humayun Ahmed, Family of Humayun Ahmed 1948 births 2012 deaths People from Netrokona District People from Mymensingh District Dhaka College alumni University of Dhaka alumni Academic staff of the University of Dhaka North Dakota State University alumni 20th-century Bangladeshi male writers Bangladeshi film directors Bangladeshi male novelists Bangladeshi science fiction writers Bangladeshi short story writers Bengali detective fiction writers Bengali-language science fiction writers Bengali-language writers International Writing Program alumni Recipients of Bangla Academy Award Best Director National Film Award (Bangladesh) winners Recipients of the Ekushey Padak Deaths from colorectal cancer Best Screenplay National Film Award (Bangladesh) winners Best Dialogue National Film Award (Bangladesh) winners Best Story National Film Award (Bangladesh) winners 20th-century Bengalis Bogra Zilla School alumni 21st-century Bengalis