Baker Bhai really behind bars on Humayun Ahmed's birthday!
Today, on 13 November, the birth anniversary of Baker Bhai’s creator, Humayun Ahmed, Noor, the actor who brought Baker Bhai to life, remains behind bars.
The name Humayun Ahmed instantly brings to mind the unforgettable characters he crafted across his stories, novels, dramas, and films.
Among these, Baker Bhai stands out, a character so iconic that even those who haven't read "Kothao Keu Nei" or watched the television series find themselves remembering and discussing him on countless occasions.
Baker Bhai was an extraordinary character to readers of the novel, but the name got a new dimension when it was screened on BTV in the early 90s and Asaduzzaman Noor portrayed the role of this beloved gangster.
Baker Bhai in the serial was the leader of a small motorcycle gang, who lived on the fringes of society and behaved like an outlaw but was loved by ordinary people and so by the audience.
This was because, despite a rogue, gangster and rebellious spirit, he was known as a fair and just individual who wouldn't hesitate to step in and correct injustices or to come to the aid of the defenceless.
In the end, his character was convicted in a murder case and executed in the final episode, aired on 21 September 1993.
His fictional death sparked protests across Dhaka and beyond, as people from all walks of life expressed their outrage.
Even though the character met his final destiny 31 years ago, he lives on in peoples' hearts year after year.
And, the actor Asaduzzaman Noor who portrayed him, became permanently associated with the role of Baker Bhai.
The irony is that Baker Bhai, both on screen and in real life through actor-turned-politician Asaduzzaman Noor, is now truly behind bars after the mass uprising that led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina on 5 August 5 of this year.
The former left-leaning Chhatra Union leader had joined Awami League in the late 90s and was elected MP five times. He was also made the cultural minister in 2014.
Although most of the top brasses of the Awami League fled the country after the downfall, Asaduzzaman Noor stayed at Dhaka and was arrested on 15 September.
Interestingly, within a week of his arrest, it marked the anniversary of the final episode of "Kothao Keu Nei", the episode most people remember for Baker Bhai's fate.
Today, on 13 November, the birth anniversary of Baker Bhai's creator, Humayun Ahmed, Noor, the actor who brought Baker Bhai to life, remains behind bars.