The New Nation - Internet Edition

A.T.M.Nurun Nabi

Popular writer Humayun Ahmad always tries to incorporate a lesson in his writings, drama and movie. He works with a definite intention, and not for giving the audiences amusement only. During the holy Eid Ul Fitr, the television channels telecast five plays stories whereof are written by him.. Of them, Channel i telecast 'Antorar Baba' and Ntv aired 'Bank Draft' on the Eid day.

The story of Antorar Baba speaks of those persons, in particular the females, who become desperate to hide their ages and forget the inevitable death. Mother of Antora, a 22-year old girl, is one of them. She has appointed a beautician to look after her beauty that none could scan her actual age. She selects a room exclusively for her where none, even her husband, has access.

But father of Antora does not like it. He wanted to rouse consciousness in his wife but how? Just at that time, he reads a story titled 'Paruler Baba.' He gets the idea and decides to use it. One afternoon he purchases the burial cloth for him on his way back to the residence from office. But none of his family members accepts it and expresses their dissatisfaction. The first move failing, father of Antorar purchases this time the burial box that his corpse could be transported after death for burial in his village home. At length, his wife, daughter, beautician and female servant realise that nothing is more truth than death in this world and age continues to travel in front and no power in the world can stop it. The lesson is if every human being realises this inevitable truth 'that every man will be produced before Allah for trial,' then sins and vices will disappear from the society. There are two more lessons. One, the servant, male or female, should not be trusted unconditionally and wedding proposal with an expatriate should be properly scrutinised before solemnisation.

Humayun Ahmed definitely deserves special thanks from every quarter.

Ali Jaker (father), Sara Jaker (mother), Shaon (daughter) and Mir Sabbir (writer) played the central characters. Direction, photography and acting were good.

The play of Bank Draft is a noble attempt to remind the society of guarding against the ongoing attempts to trade one's illness for personal gains. Trading becomes easy when the sick is child. The story is centered round an 8- year old sick child attacked with blood cancer. The physicians have suggested her father to go to Madras, India for better treatment. As her father is not a well off man, friends and relatives come forward and donate money of about 12 lakh. When they are taking preparation for flight, just then a wicket person meets him and says, "If you pay me 25 percent commission, I shall collect one crore of taka with slogan, ' Save my soul.' The guardian of the family inquires, how is that? The man replies, "It is easy. We shall convince a television channel for advertisement of a heart rending song sung by the child." Father says that her daughetr does not know how to sing. The man says, it is not a problem at all. She will just move her lips with the recorded song which nobody will undestand.

Thus, they collected one crore and nine lakh of taka, mainly contributed by the expatriates. On the day of counting money, the condition of the child deteriorates and finally dies. He mother too dies after two months. It makes the father very sad, who meets a writer with a bank draft of taka one crore and 26 lakh. The writer refuses to take the burden of the money as saying, "I am neither greedless nor extraordinary."

The bewildered father comes out with the draft in hand and begins walking directionless. The drama is a warning to the society against the traders in disease.

Asaduzzaman Noor, Tania Ahmed and others played different roles. Making, acting, photography are splendid. Antorar Baba and bank Draft prove that Humayun Ahmed is a legend in the showbiz world.