Novelist Humayun Ahmed: A legend
Literature Desk :
Humayun Ahmed (13 November 1948 – 19 July 2012) was a writer, dramatist, screenwriter, filmmaker, song writer, scholar, and lecturer. His breakthrough was his debut novel Nondito Noroke published in 1972.He wrote over 200 fiction and non-fiction books, all of which were bestsellers in Bangladesh. Ahmed’s writing style is characterized as magical realism. His books were the top sellers at the Ekushey Book Fair during the 1990s and 2000s. He won the Bangla Academy Award and the Ekushey Padak for his contribution to Bengali literature.
In the early 1990s, Ahmed emerged as a filmmaker. He went on to make a total of eight films – each based on his own novels. He received six Bangladesh National Film Awards in different categories for the films Daruchini Dwip, Aguner Poroshmoni and Ghetuputra Komola.
Humayun Ahmed was born in Kutubpur, Kendua,Netrakona to Foyzur Rahman (1921-1971) and Ayesha Foyez (1930-2014). Foyzur served as a Sub-Divisional Police Officer in Pirojpur district and was killed in 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Humayun’s brother, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, is a writer and academician. Another brother, Ahsan Habib, is a cartoonist. He has three sisters – Sufia Haider, Momtaz Shahid and Rukhsana Ahmed.
During his childhood, Ahmed lived in Sylhet, Comilla, Chittagong, Bogra, Dinajpur and Panchagarh where his father was on official assignment.
Ahmed studied in Chittagong Collegiate School. He eventually passed his Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination from Bogra Zilla School in 1967 and was listed as second in merit by the Rajshahi Education Board. He passed his Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) examination from Dhaka College in 1969.
He then attended the University of Dhaka and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and later with a Master of Science degree. He then worked as a lecturer at the Bangladesh Agricultural University for six months following which he joined Dhaka University to teach Chemistry. Soon after, he went to the United States to earn his Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry from North Dakota State University.
Novels: Ahmed’s debut novel Nondito Noroke (In Blissful Hell) was published in 1972 while he was still a university student. 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 (15 novels), Misir Ali (10 novels) and less frequently, Shubhro. He wrote several novels based on the Bangladesh Liberation War – Aguner Poroshmoni, Paap, 1971, Srabon Megher Din, and Jyotsna O Jononir Golpo. His romantic novels included: Badol Diner Prothom Kodom Phool, Noboni, Aj Dupure Tomar Nimontron, and Tumi Amai Dekechhile Chhutir Nimontrone.
Ahmed wrote autobiographies – Hotel Graver Inn, Amar Chelebela, Rong Pencil and Fountain Pen.
Television and film : Ahmed’s first television drama was Prothom Prohor (1983), directed by Nawazesh Ali Khan. His first drama serial was Ei Shob Din Ratri (1985). This was followed by the comedy series Bohubrihi (1988), the historical drama series Ayomoy (1988), the urban drama series Kothao Keu Nei (1990), Nokkhotrer Raat (1996), and Aaj Robibar (1999). In addition, he made single episode dramas, most notably Nimful.
Humayun Ahmed directed films based on his own stories. His first film, Aguner Poroshmoni, based on the Bangladesh Liberation War, won the National Film Award in a total of eight categories, including the Award for Best Picture and Best Director. Another film Shyamal Chhaya was also based on the same war. His last directed film is Ghetuputra Kamola, the story of a teenage boy.
Shyamol Chhaya and Ghetuputra Kamola were selected as the Bangladeshi entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2006 and 2012 respectively, but were not nominated.
In 2009, Ahmed served as a judge on Channel i’s reality talent show Khudey Gaanraaj.
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 ‘Pubali Batashey,’ ‘Ekta Chhilo Shonar Konya,’ ‘O Amar Ural Ponkhi Rey,’ ‘Jodi Mon Kandey,’ ‘Ke Porailo Amar Chokh-e Kolonko Kajol,’ ‘Ami Aaj Bhejabo Chokh Somudrer Joley,’ ‘Cholona Brishtitey Bhiji,’ ‘Channi Poshor Raite Jeno Amar Moron Hoy,’ ‘Hablonger Bajarey Giya’ and ‘Konya Nachilo Rey.’ The songs were rendered by Subir Nandi, S I Tutul, Meher Afroz Shaon and others.
Critical response: Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus 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 and Nazrul.” Similarly, according to poet Al Mahmud, “one golden age of Bengali literature ended with Tagore and Nazrul and another began” with Ahmed. Writer Imdadul Haq Milon considered him to be “the almighty lord of Bengali literature, controlling all their actions and thoughts.” Sunil Gangopadhyay described him as the most popular writer in the Bengali language for a century and according to him, Ahmed was even more popular than Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Ahmed married Gultekin Khan in 1976. Together they had three daughters, Nova, Shila and Bipasha, and one son, Nuhash. Shila Ahmed went on to become a television and film actress. In 2003, Ahmed divorced Gultekin. He then married actress Meher Afroz Shaon in 2005. He had two sons from the second marriage, Nishad and Ninit.
Humayun Ahmed had open heart surgery at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. A few years later, during a routine checkup, doctors found a cancerous tumor in his colon. On September 14, 2011, he was flown to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City for treatment. During his stay there, he wrote a novel, Deyal, based on the life of the first President of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In January 2012, he was appointed as a senior special adviser of the Bangladesh Mission to the United Nations.
On May 12, 2012, he returned to Bangladesh for two weeks. He died on July 19, 2012 at 11.20 PM BST at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. There was some tension in the family over the selection of his burial site, but eventually his estate, Nuhash Polli was selected.
In 1987, Humayun Ahmed founded an estate called Nuhash Polli near Pijulia village, in Gazipur Sadar Upazila of Gazipur District, which grew to cover 40 bigha (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.
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 – November 12. The film Anil Bagchir Ekdin (2015), based on Ahmed’s novel of the same name, directed by Morshedul Islam won six Bangladesh National Film Awards. Another film Krishnopokkho (2016), based on his novel, was directed by his wife Meher Afroz Shaon. In October 2016, she announced the production of the next film based on Ahmed’s novel Nokkhotrer Raat. In June 2016, Government of Bangladesh approved a grant to produce a film based on his novel Devi.
Humayun Ahmed (13 November 1948 – 19 July 2012) was a writer, dramatist, screenwriter, filmmaker, song writer, scholar, and lecturer. His breakthrough was his debut novel Nondito Noroke published in 1972.He wrote over 200 fiction and non-fiction books, all of which were bestsellers in Bangladesh. Ahmed’s writing style is characterized as magical realism. His books were the top sellers at the Ekushey Book Fair during the 1990s and 2000s. He won the Bangla Academy Award and the Ekushey Padak for his contribution to Bengali literature.
In the early 1990s, Ahmed emerged as a filmmaker. He went on to make a total of eight films – each based on his own novels. He received six Bangladesh National Film Awards in different categories for the films Daruchini Dwip, Aguner Poroshmoni and Ghetuputra Komola.
Humayun Ahmed was born in Kutubpur, Kendua,Netrakona to Foyzur Rahman (1921-1971) and Ayesha Foyez (1930-2014). Foyzur served as a Sub-Divisional Police Officer in Pirojpur district and was killed in 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Humayun’s brother, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, is a writer and academician. Another brother, Ahsan Habib, is a cartoonist. He has three sisters – Sufia Haider, Momtaz Shahid and Rukhsana Ahmed.
During his childhood, Ahmed lived in Sylhet, Comilla, Chittagong, Bogra, Dinajpur and Panchagarh where his father was on official assignment.
Ahmed studied in Chittagong Collegiate School. He eventually passed his Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination from Bogra Zilla School in 1967 and was listed as second in merit by the Rajshahi Education Board. He passed his Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) examination from Dhaka College in 1969.
He then attended the University of Dhaka and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and later with a Master of Science degree. He then worked as a lecturer at the Bangladesh Agricultural University for six months following which he joined Dhaka University to teach Chemistry. Soon after, he went to the United States to earn his Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry from North Dakota State University.
Novels: Ahmed’s debut novel Nondito Noroke (In Blissful Hell) was published in 1972 while he was still a university student. 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 (15 novels), Misir Ali (10 novels) and less frequently, Shubhro. He wrote several novels based on the Bangladesh Liberation War – Aguner Poroshmoni, Paap, 1971, Srabon Megher Din, and Jyotsna O Jononir Golpo. His romantic novels included: Badol Diner Prothom Kodom Phool, Noboni, Aj Dupure Tomar Nimontron, and Tumi Amai Dekechhile Chhutir Nimontrone.
Ahmed wrote autobiographies – Hotel Graver Inn, Amar Chelebela, Rong Pencil and Fountain Pen.
Television and film : Ahmed’s first television drama was Prothom Prohor (1983), directed by Nawazesh Ali Khan. His first drama serial was Ei Shob Din Ratri (1985). This was followed by the comedy series Bohubrihi (1988), the historical drama series Ayomoy (1988), the urban drama series Kothao Keu Nei (1990), Nokkhotrer Raat (1996), and Aaj Robibar (1999). In addition, he made single episode dramas, most notably Nimful.
Humayun Ahmed directed films based on his own stories. His first film, Aguner Poroshmoni, based on the Bangladesh Liberation War, won the National Film Award in a total of eight categories, including the Award for Best Picture and Best Director. Another film Shyamal Chhaya was also based on the same war. His last directed film is Ghetuputra Kamola, the story of a teenage boy.
Shyamol Chhaya and Ghetuputra Kamola were selected as the Bangladeshi entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2006 and 2012 respectively, but were not nominated.
In 2009, Ahmed served as a judge on Channel i’s reality talent show Khudey Gaanraaj.
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 ‘Pubali Batashey,’ ‘Ekta Chhilo Shonar Konya,’ ‘O Amar Ural Ponkhi Rey,’ ‘Jodi Mon Kandey,’ ‘Ke Porailo Amar Chokh-e Kolonko Kajol,’ ‘Ami Aaj Bhejabo Chokh Somudrer Joley,’ ‘Cholona Brishtitey Bhiji,’ ‘Channi Poshor Raite Jeno Amar Moron Hoy,’ ‘Hablonger Bajarey Giya’ and ‘Konya Nachilo Rey.’ The songs were rendered by Subir Nandi, S I Tutul, Meher Afroz Shaon and others.
Critical response: Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus 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 and Nazrul.” Similarly, according to poet Al Mahmud, “one golden age of Bengali literature ended with Tagore and Nazrul and another began” with Ahmed. Writer Imdadul Haq Milon considered him to be “the almighty lord of Bengali literature, controlling all their actions and thoughts.” Sunil Gangopadhyay described him as the most popular writer in the Bengali language for a century and according to him, Ahmed was even more popular than Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Ahmed married Gultekin Khan in 1976. Together they had three daughters, Nova, Shila and Bipasha, and one son, Nuhash. Shila Ahmed went on to become a television and film actress. In 2003, Ahmed divorced Gultekin. He then married actress Meher Afroz Shaon in 2005. He had two sons from the second marriage, Nishad and Ninit.
Humayun Ahmed had open heart surgery at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. A few years later, during a routine checkup, doctors found a cancerous tumor in his colon. On September 14, 2011, he was flown to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City for treatment. During his stay there, he wrote a novel, Deyal, based on the life of the first President of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In January 2012, he was appointed as a senior special adviser of the Bangladesh Mission to the United Nations.
On May 12, 2012, he returned to Bangladesh for two weeks. He died on July 19, 2012 at 11.20 PM BST at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. There was some tension in the family over the selection of his burial site, but eventually his estate, Nuhash Polli was selected.
In 1987, Humayun Ahmed founded an estate called Nuhash Polli near Pijulia village, in Gazipur Sadar Upazila of Gazipur District, which grew to cover 40 bigha (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.
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 – November 12. The film Anil Bagchir Ekdin (2015), based on Ahmed’s novel of the same name, directed by Morshedul Islam won six Bangladesh National Film Awards. Another film Krishnopokkho (2016), based on his novel, was directed by his wife Meher Afroz Shaon. In October 2016, she announced the production of the next film based on Ahmed’s novel Nokkhotrer Raat. In June 2016, Government of Bangladesh approved a grant to produce a film based on his novel Devi.