<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The nation is observing the 11th death anniversary of the iconic writer, filmmaker Humayun Ahmed today.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Widely considered one of the cornerstones of modern Bangla literature, the legendary writer passed away on July 19, 2012, due to colorectal cancer at the age of 63 at Bellevue Hospital, New York, in the United States.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His family and several organizations are observing the day with different programmes and events.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Humayun Ahmed's widow and actress-media personality Meher Afroz Shaon, alongside their two sons Ninit and Nishad, placed wreaths at his grave in Nuhash Palli, Gazipur in the morning.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Special prayers and Quran Khatam have been organized since morning, and a prayer ceremony was also held to seek eternal peace of his soul. Orphans will be fed at noon marking the occasion, according to both Shaon and the authority of Nuhash Palli.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Himu Paribahan, a renowned fan unit of the prolific writer, has been observing the special day since 2013. Members of the platform placed wreaths at the writer's grave in the morning.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several other organisations are also commemorating the day with various events, while fans and admirers are sharing emotional tributes to the legend on their social media accounts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Television channels and radio stations are also airing various programmes, highlighting the life and glorious career of the wordsmith.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Humayun Ahmed was born in Kutubpur village at Mohanganj, Netrakona to Foyzur Rahman Ahmed and Ayesha Foyez on November 13, 1948.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He passed the School Certificate (1965) from Bogra Zilla School, Intermediate from Dhaka College and earned his BSc and MSc in Chemistry from Dhaka University with first class. He joined Dhaka University as a lecturer of Chemistry and later went to North Dakota State University in the United States to pursue his PhD in Polymer Chemistry.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">'Nondito Noroke' (1972) was Humayun Ahmed's debut novel, which gave him the breakthrough and propelled his career as a writer. The Ekushey Padak winner writer wrote over 200 fiction and non-fiction books, all of which were bestsellers in Bangladesh to date.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He won Bangla Academy Award, Lekhak Shibir Award, Shishu Academy Award, Michael Madhusudan Padak, Bachsas Award, and more for his outstanding contributions in his illustrious career to the Bengali culture and entertainment sphere.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Humayun Ahmed debuted with his drama 'Prothom Prohor' (1983) for Bangladesh Television (BTV). His successful journey in television continued with popular drama serials 'Ei Shob Din Ratri', 'Bohubrihi', 'Ayomoy', 'Nokkhotrer Raat', 'Aaj Robibar' and most notably, 'Kothao Keu Nei' which created a never-before-seen hype in the nation surrounding the lead character 'Baker Bhai', portrayed by veteran actor Asaduzzaman Noor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Humayun Ahmed also explored success as a filmmaker in the early 1990s and went on to make a total of eight films in his filmmaking career, each based on his novels. Two of his films, ‘Shyamol Chhaya’ (2004) and 'Ghetuputra Komola' (2012) were the official Bangladeshi submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in their respective years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He received seven Bangladesh National Film Awards in different categories for the films 'Shonkhonil Karagar' (as screenwriter), 'Aguner Poroshmoni', 'Daruchini Dwip' and 'Ghetuputra Komola'. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bndd24/kh</div>