Dhaka July 20 (UNB) – After nine months of fight against colon cancer, celebrated writer Humayun Ahmed died at Bellevue Hospital in New York on Thursday. He was 64.

According to sources, the popular writer breathed his last at 11:30pm (Bangladesh time) in presence of his wife Meher Afroz Shaon, younger brother Mohammad Zafar Iqbal and publisher Mazharul Islam.

Married twice, the writer left behind three sons and three daughters.

The writer had undergone two major surgeries since he arrived in New York on Sept 14 last year for medical treatment. 

A chemistry teacher at Dhaka University, Humayun Ahmd proved his mettle in fiction writing which prompted him to quit teaching and became a full-time writer.

Born in Mymensingh in 1948, he won coveted Bangla Academy Award in 1981, Ekushey Padak in 1994 and three National Film Awards (Best Story in 1993, Best Film 1994 and Best Script in 1994).

Ahmed emerged in the Bengali literary world in the early 1970s and over the subsequent decade became the most popular fiction writer of the country. His breakthrough occurred with the help of Ahmed Sofa and the publication of his first novel, Nandito Noroké in 1972.

In 2012, Humayun Ahmed was appointed a special adviser to the Bangladesh Mission in the United Nations.

As a writer, Ahmed often displayed a fascination for creating stories around supernatural events; his style is characterized as magic realism.

Now the man is gone, but the memories will live on.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the death of popular fiction writer Humayun Ahmed.

“The country has lost a celebrated writer at the death of Humayun Ahmed. This is an irreparable loss to the country. People will always remember him,” PM’s Special Assistant Mahbubul Haque Shakil quoted Hasina as saying.  

Family sources said the namaz-e-janaza of the famous writer will be held at Muslim center in Jamaica Friday. His family members will leave NewYork with his body on Saturday and reach here on Sunday.