Honouring the Legend

Humayun Ahmed

Humayun Ahmed, a Bangladeshi author, novelist, dramatist, screenwriter, filmmaker, teacher and a scientist is a legendary figure in the history of Bangladesh. Times of India wrote about Humayun Ahmed: “Humayun was a custodian of the Bangladeshi literary culture whose contribution single-handedly shifted the capital of Bengali literature from Kolkata to Dhaka without any war or revolution.” We pay homage to this legend on his 2nd death anniversary.

Humayun Ahmed was born on November 13, 1948 at Kutubpur village of Netrokona district of Bangladesh (then East Bengal)
Humayun Ahmed studied chemistry at Dhaka University and later became a professor of chemistry in the same university
He earned a PhD in polymer chemistry from North Dakota University, US
His first novel Nandito Noroke was published in 1972 and achieved huge readership along with critical acclaim

Humayun Ahmed authored around 200 books of fictions and non-fictions
Ahmed's writing style was characterised as magic realism
He was the creator of popular characters such as Himu and Misir Ali, immensely popular for their eccentricity, comic and compassionate feature
During the liberation war Ahmed's father was killed and he was captured and tortured by the Pakistan army

Humayun's first television drama was Prothom Prohor which was aired in 1983
Humayun directed films based on his own stories
His first film Aguner Parashmani, based on the liberation war, won the National Film Award total in eight categories
Humayun also wrote songs for some of his plays and films

Humayun Ahmed started to write a biography of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) but couldn't complete it
Humayun's film Ghetuputra Kamola was selected as the Bangladeshi entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards
In 2012 Humayun was appointed as a special adviser to the Bangladesh Mission in the United Nations
In 2011 Humayun was diagnosed with cancer
This legendary figure died on July 19, 2012    and buried in his estate called Nuhash Palli