The 66th birthday of legendary Bangla fiction writer Humayun Ahmed is being celebrated on Wednesday.

Marking his birthday, varios social organisations have chalked out various programmes.

This acclaimed writer Humayun Ahmed was born on Nov 13, 1948 at his maternal uncle’s home at Mohanganj in the district of Netrokona.

His father Foyzur Rahman, who was martyred in the War of Liberation, was a police officer and mother was Ayesha Foyez. Humayun was the couple’s first child.

As a student Humayun showed great brilliance.

He achieved unparalleled popularity in the field of literature. He authored more than 200 original books.

He produced two great novels “Shankha Nil Karagar” and “Nondito Noroke” when he was a student of the Chemistry Department of Dhaka University.

Although “Shankha Nil Karagar” was written first, “Nondito Noroke” was the first to be published in 1970.

The avid readers’ community of the just independent Bangladesh grabbed his books with both hands. Humayun has left an indelible mark during the last four decades in his novels, stories and child literature.

His first two novels depicted faithfully the various facets of the middle class life of the country. It marked a new genre in Bengali Literature.

Humayun eventually quit the Chemistry Department of DU as Professor to concentrate on literature. His insights into human life were developed partly due to the transferable nature of his father’s job.

He travelled almost every corner of the country even before he was admitted into university. All those experiences enriched his sensibility. More than anything else, he was familiarised with the middle class life.

As a single writer, Humayun had the greatest impact on the publication industry of Bangladesh. He made the readers of the country deviate away from Indian fiction.

All his books sold thousands of copies helping develop the publication industry of the country to a great extent.

As a young teacher of the Chemistry Department of DU, he travelled to the USA to complete Ph.D. Degree towards the end of the seventies. This period marked an interval in his literary career.

He returned to the literary fold with the novel “Omanush” in 1985 in the book fair of the Bangla Academy. Since then he became the apple of the eye to the publishers of the country.

During this period, his drama serials like ‘Ei Shob Din Ratri’, ‘Oyomoy’ and ‘Bohubrihi’ earned huge popularity among the TV viewers.

Among the characters he created Baker Bhai, Himu and Misir Ali those gained an icon status.

Humayun’s contribution to the film industry is also remarkable. He directed box office that hit like “Amar Achhe Jol”, “Ghetuputra Komola”, “Srabon Megher Din”.

The birthday of the soap-opera writer is also being celebrated outside Dhaka with various programmes.