Humayun Ahmed (Bengali: 唳灌唳唳唰傕Θ 唳嗋唳唳�; 13 November 1948 鈥� 19 July 2012) was a Bangladeshi author, dramatist, screenwriter, playwright and filmmaker. He was the most famous and popular author, dramatist and filmmaker ever to grace the cultural world of Bangladesh since its independence in 1971. Dawn referred to him as the cultural legend of Bangladesh. Humayun started his journey to reach fame with the publication of his novel Nondito Noroke (In Blissful Hell) in 1972, which remains one of his most famous works. He wrote over 250 fiction and non-fiction books, all of which were bestsellers in Bangladesh, most of them were number one bestsellers of their respective years by a wide margin. In recognition to the works of Humayun, Times of India wrote, "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." Ahmed's writing style was characterized as "Magic Realism." 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's books have been the top sellers at the Ekushey Book Fair during every years of the 1990s and 2000s.
Early life: Humayun Ahmed was born in Mohongonj, Netrokona, but his village home is Kutubpur, Mymensingh, Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). His father, Faizur Rahman Ahmed, a police officer and writer, was killed by Pakistani military during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971, and his mother is Ayesha Foyez. Humayun's younger brother, Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, a university professor, is also a very popular author of mostly science fiction genre and Children's Literature. Another brother, Ahsan Habib, the editor of Unmad, a cartoon magazine, and one of the most famous Cartoonist in the country.
Education and Early Career: Ahmed went to schools in Sylhet, Comilla, Chittagong, Dinajpur and Bogra as his father lived in different places upon official assignment. Ahmed passed SSC exam from Bogra Zilla School in 1965. He stood second in the merit list in Rajshahi Education Board. He passed HSC exam from Dhaka College in 1967. He studied Chemistry in Dhaka University and earned BSc (Honors) and MSc with First Class distinction.
Upon graduation Ahmed joined Bangladesh Agricultural University as a lecturer. After six months he joined Dhaka University as a faculty of the Department of Chemistry. Later he attended North Dakota State University for his PhD studies. He grew his interest in Polymer Chemistry and earned his PhD in that subject. He returned to Bangladesh and resumed his teaching career in Dhaka University. In mid 1990s he left the faculty job to devote all his time to writing, playwright and film production.
Marriages and Personal Life: In 1973, Humayun Ahmed married Gultekin. They had three daughters 鈥� Nova, Sheela, Bipasha and one son 鈥� Nuhash. In 2003 Humayun divorced Gultekin and married Meher Afroj Shaon in 2005. From the second marriage he had two sons 鈥� Nishad and Ninit.
Death: In 2011 Ahmed had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He died on 19 July 2012 at 11.20 PM BST at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. He was buried in Nuhash Palli, his farm house.
Himu... himu... himu What can I really say about him? I love reading books with him as the main protagonist. He is funny, extroverted and completely (or at least half) crazy for sure! But at the same time he is affected by other people's lives. Although his father died trying to teach him to be a "Mohapurush" Himu already knows he would never live up to his father's expectation. Himu is not a Mohapurush and his father could never turn him into one. Why?? - Ok first Himu's father always said to stay away from familial matters. But Himu feels connected to his disconnected family. Be it Majeda Khala, Farida Khala, Khalujaan, Fupa or even Badol, he always goes back to these people. He doen't want money or love or company from them, but yet if they call, if they need him he arrives at their doorstep. Then he accepts any job that comes his way. Khalujaan gives him money to stay away from Badol he takes it, if he saves someone's life and they offers to pay him, he takes it, if someone wants him as a tour guide and offers money, he accepts it. But strangely he never keeps the money for himself. In some way or the other he spends it on people randomly and gives it all away. He puts himself in strange situations and then somehow even gets out if it as well! Himu is a paradigm of what-not-to-be!
But I have a complain about him. In every novel a girl, as beautiful as Snow white, Cinderella and Belle, falls in love with him. Frankly I don't understand it. Himu is the kind of guy you would love having as friend. Someone you can have fun with, enjoy your time and laugh hard. But he is not a husband material at all nor does it have an ounce of romantic gene in his body. I think the only girl he really likes is Rupa but obviously he will find a thousand reasons to stay away from her. And only a friend like Rupa is justified to fall in love with Himu. I think I am tired reading these girls falling head over heels in love with Himu. No that doesn't happen to intelligent girls. I think in modern times, Himu is the kind of guy a girl would love to hang out with all day but never go home with!
Every time I sit to write a good review I end up writing my musings about Himu instead of the novel itself. So to put a nice end to this review- Himu fans read it, Himu not-fans start reading it!
Nicely written with a good flow and twist and turns you don't expect, Tomader Ei Nogore is a very good and smooth read!
Usual sort of Himu again, this time another girl falling for him(sigh!)
Himu meets an insomniac father Jaynal(with a very sad backstory), for whom he arranges a climactical ending with a foreign-raised bengali girl Aasha, brought by his Khala named Farida. There is also a plot involving the mess-manager at which Himu and Jaynal resides, laid to give this story the police treatment that more or less every Himu story is getting by now. The start and ending of this story are very good, but in-between everything felt rushed, disarranged and not-so-good. It was just okay sort. There are some moments where a forced laugh was waiting in my lips but didn't came out. The flow is easy as usual, but in a haywire pattern, not feeling quite right.
When I get tired of everything around me and when my monumental failures seems too much to take, I just wish I was Himu. Call me an escapist but deep inside you know you want to be a Himu too. (Sorry it doesn't say almost anything about book.....just read it, I know you'll like it)
I have heard a few people opine that the later writings of Humayun Ahmed aren't up to the same mark as his previous ones. Either they are right, or I'm getting old for this.