Gazipur's Nuhash Palli being readied ahead of Humayun Ahmed's 78th birth anniversary

The 78th birth anniversary of fiction writer, playwright and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed falls tomorrow, Friday, November 13. Preparations are under way at Nuhash Palli in Gazipur, which he built himself, with the whole area being cleaned and his grave site being washed.

Nuhash Palli sees no elaborate events through most of the year. But the atmosphere changes on Humayun Ahmed's birth and death anniversaries, when fans, readers and well-wishers come to pay their respects to the writer.

On Thursday morning, several women were seen sweeping dirt and waste at different spots of Nuhash Palli, located in Pirujali Union of Gazipur Sadar Upazila. Some were washing Humayun Ahmed's grave site with water and detergent powder.

Cleaning work was also under way at Brishti Bilas and around the pond of Dighi Leelabati, both associated with the writer's memories.

Parul Akter has worked as a cook at Nuhash Palli for a long time. Recalling her memories, she said she served food she cooked herself to Humayun Ahmed for many years. Many people used to visit while the writer was alive; fewer come now, though Fridays and Saturdays draw more visitors and festivals bring crowds.

Iman Ali cleans Humayun Ahmed's grave site. He said he gets the chance to work at the place once or twice a year. Though he cannot read or write, he has heard from visitors that Humayun Ahmed was a very knowledgeable and large-hearted person, and so he respects him too.

Humayun Ahmed was born on November 13, 1948, at his maternal grandparents' home in Kutubpur village of Mohanganj Upazila in Netrokona district. His father, Faizur Rahman Ahmed, was a police officer, and because of his father's job his schooling took place in different parts of the country.

Humayun Ahmed passed his secondary exams from Bogura Zilla School and higher secondary from Dhaka College. He later earned bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry from Dhaka University, completed higher research in the United States with a PhD in polymer chemistry, and also taught at Dhaka University.

Humayun Ahmed gained wide recognition among readers with his first novel, Nondito Noroke, published in 1972. He went on to create numerous popular novels, stories, plays and films, and received honours including the Ekushey Padak, the Bangla Academy Literary Award and the National Film Award for his contributions to literature and culture.

Humayun Ahmed died on July 19, 2012, while undergoing treatment in New York in the United States. In accordance with his last wish, he was buried at his beloved Nuhash Palli.

Nuhash Palli manager Md Masud Rana said the place is filled with memories of a gifted writer, and the depth of his place in readers' hearts is evident from the people who still come here. He said cleaning work is under way across Nuhash Palli for the birth anniversary and the grave site is also being washed.