How did Humayun Ahmed buy his first colour TV set
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Humayun dominated the Ekushey Book Fairs, earning a loyal readership and critical acclaim.
Humayun Ahmed's life, with its intriguing turns, has a story to match every one of the hundreds he penned, captivating millions of readers with tales as colourful as his own experiences.
Breaking into the Bengali literary scene with his debut novel "Nondito Noroke" (1972), Humayun went on to write over 200 books—both fiction and non-fiction—that not only became bestsellers in Bangladesh but remain beloved classics today.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Humayun dominated the Ekushey Book Fairs, earning a loyal readership and critical acclaim.
His outstanding contributions to Bengali culture and entertainment earned him prestigious awards, including the Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Award, Michael Madhusudan Padak, and the Bachsas Award.
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Even twelve years after his passing, his life continues to be celebrated, and fans relish recounting the fascinating anecdotes that shaped him.
One such story is how he bought his first color TV.
Born on 13 November 1948, Humayun began his writing journey in the early '70s.
"Nondito Noroke" and "Shonkhoneel Karagar", his first masterpieces, firmly established him in Bengali literature. Yet, it was his screenwriting for Bangladesh Television (BTV) that brought him into the homes and hearts of the middle class.
In those days, BTV was the sole television channel, but it was Humayun's style—the unique storytelling, the relatable dialogues, the compelling narratives—that made him a household name.
His early dramas, now streaming on digital platforms, remain as engaging as ever.
His journey in television began in 1983 with "Prothom Prohor" (The First Dawn), his first BTV drama. However, it was his groundbreaking TV serial "Eishob Dinratri" (All These Days and Nights) that cemented his fame.
Spanning 18 episodes over nine months, the family drama kept viewers eagerly awaiting each episode every two weeks.
"Eishob Dinratri" propelled Humayun's fame to unprecedented heights. In fact, the character Tuni, a young girl in the serial, passed away from cancer in Germany, where she had been taken for treatment. Her fictional death shook the nation almost as profoundly as Humayun's real-life passing from cancer in the USA in 2012.
Interestingly, Humayun Ahmed once revealed that his reason for writing "Eishob Dinratri" was deeply personal.
He simply wanted to earn enough from the serial to buy a colour television.
