Nuhash Humayun and Pritom makes Covid-19 awareness webseries ‘Bichhuz’

Bichhuz handwash campaign. Photo: Collected

WaterAid in collaboration with filmmaker Nuhash Humayun and musician Pritom Hasan has launched a creative campaign through a web series titled 'Bichhuz',

The web series gives emphasis on the importance of handwashing with soap amongst youth as the first line of defense during this pandemic.

The story circles around four rebellious friends, who are hard-to-convince with tranditional means of awareness communications in order to adapt good hygiene behaviour, particularly handwashing with soap. 'Bondhu', a puppet, tries unconventional ways to pursue these four friends into good hygiene habits. The four characters in the series is played by members of the Tokai Theater and Pritom Hasan plays as Bondhu's voice.

The series takes audiences on a journey with all five characters as they learn the importance of handwashing with humour, sarcasm and challenges surrounding many existing taboos. 

Watch  'Bichhuz' episode number 1 here 

WaterAid has a youth wing called 'Youth for SDG 6' with over 1,000 student volunteers in raising healthy hygiene habits across their institutions and within their communities. Nuhash and Pritom are also the advisory board members of the Youth for SDG 6 platform.

At the launch of the campaign, Nuhash Humayun shared, "We have to focus on the pulse of youth to be able to convince them into practicing something. We cannot simply send out messages to them from miles apart and expect them to start believing in or practicing as told. Today's youth confide in understanding things on a deeper level rather than being told what to do. We need to speak to them in their language – be that unconventional, rebellious or completely unexpected. As a director by profession and an advisor to the Youth for SDG 6 platform, this project is very close to my heart. I believe it will bring about a wave of positive hygiene habits and fulfill our main aim of development."

Pritom Hasan stated, "I wanted to do something different and something out of the usual that will challenge me and the nature of works that I have done till now. The role of the puppet, who we lovingly call 'Bondhu', has been an exciting journey for me. It has required concentrated dedication and days of prolonged training. We all have the power to convince people through music, humour and sarcasm. Its what brings people together and binds them. This campaign with Nuhash has been exhilarating as usual. We have produced numerous projects together but 'Bichhuz' will always be special. Because 'Bichhuz' has been developed for a cause, for people not to forget 'Haath Dhuwa' as one of the most effective shields to protect us and the entire country from the coronavirus pandemic, now and forever."

'Bichhuz' episodes will be available on WaterAid Bangladesh's official Facebook page, YouTube channel, Instagram, and Twitter handles from the launch of the first episode on 11 May 2020 onwards.