The 71st birthday of late prolific author, dramatist, screenwriter, playwright and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed is being celebrated today (Tuesday).

Humayun Ahmed (13 November 1948 – 19 July 2012) was a Bangladeshi writer, dramatist, screenwriter, filmmaker, songwriter, scholar, lecturer, reports the UNB.

His breakthrough was his debut novel Nondito Noroke published in 1972.

He wrote over 200 fiction and non-fiction books, all of which were bestsellers in Bangladesh.

Ahmed’s writing style is characterised as magic realism.

His books were the top sellers at the Ekushey Book Fair during the 1990s and 2000s.

He won the Bangla Academy Award and the Ekushey Padak award for his contribution to Bengali literature.

In the early 1990s, Ahmed emerged as a filmmaker. He went on to make a total of eight films - each based on his own novels. He received six Bangladesh National Film Awards in different categories for the films Daruchini Dwip, Aguner Poroshmoni and Ghetuputra Komola.

Ahmed is often credited with revitalising Bengali literature. His unique storytelling style captures the oral tradition and rhythm at the root of Bangla, bringing to life the stories and aspirations of traditional middle class and rural families.

Meawnujile, his family members and different cultural organizations and TV channels have chalked out various programmes to celebrate the birthday of the prominent figure of Bengali literature.

Marking his birthday, private television Channel-i is going to organize a fair ‘Humayun Mela’ on the television channel premises in Tejgaon area in the capital.

Onno Prokash Publication will also distribute ‘Humayun Ahmed Award’ on this occasion.