Asaduzzaman Noor

Asaduzzaman Noor
আসাদুজ্জামান নূর
Noor in Gwangju, South Korea (Oct 2014)
Ministry of Cultural Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 2014
Personal details
Born	(1946-10-31) 31 October 1946
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Spouse(s)	Shaheen Akhter
Alma mater	University of Dhaka
Occupation	actor, politician

Asaduzzaman Noor (born 31 October 1946)^[1] is a Bangladeshi actor, politician and activist. He is the current Minister of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Bangladesh. He got his break-through in acting during his early days as a Bangladesh Television dramatic artist. His notable works include Kothao Keu Nei, Oyomoy, Bohubrihi and Ei Sob din Ratri. His notable films are Shonkhonil Karagar (1992) and Aguner Poroshmoni (1994), both of the movies won National Film Awards.

Career

Actor

Noor's career in the theatre started in 1973 when he joined the group "Nagorik".^[2] He was a receptionist of the paper “Chitraly” at that time and went to take the interview of the prominent actors that time.^[2] There he met Ali Zaker, an actor of Nagorik who asked him to visit the rehearsal of his new team. Noor later went there and saw a lot of his familiar faces of the University. Later he joined that group. At first he used to work behind the stage as a prompter.^[3] Once the rehearsal of the drama “Toilo Shonkot” which was written by Rashid Haider was going on. With only two days remaining of the first show actor of that drama Abul Hayat got injured, Ali Zaker asked Noor to take the part.^[4] With a bit force from the others Noor took it and started his career as an actor. Noor’s first TV drama "Ronger Fanush" which was directed by Abdullah Al Mamun.^[5]

Politician

Noor came to politics during the period of Ayub Khan in 1962.^[6] He was a student and had joined the East Pakistan Student’s Union which was a left sided organization. Later he became the chairman of the Nilfamari Mohokuma Shomeetee. In 1966, he got admitted to Dhaka University to study law still a member of the Student’s Union. Later he became the cultural secretary of the central committee. He also was the chairman of the "Shongskriti Shongshod", a very large cultural organization of Dhaka University. Noor stayed in the Iqbal Hall (now Johurul Huq hall) which was the centre of student politics during that period. At that time Noor came in contact with the versatile student leaders of that time. Though the followers of different political belief they worked together against the dictatorship of West Pakistan government.

At the eve of Bangladesh Liberation War, Noor left Dhaka and came back to Nilphamari District when he received an order from his political party on March 8, 1971. There he helped the then East Pakistan Rifles (now Border Guards Bangladesh). He crossed the border during the War of Liberation on April 8. Noor was a freedom fighter under the Sector-6 and helped to organize the war and took training. He also helped to recruit freedom fighters during the nine-month war period. But later in the independent Bangladesh, his distance with active politics grew larger.

In 1990, during the revolution against the military leader Ershad, Noor again came to join the movement. In 1996, Bangladesh Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina asked him to take part in the election. He took part in the election in 2001 and won that to become a member of parliament from Nilphamari District.^[7] In 2013 his election convoy in Nilphamari was attacked by activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, causing the death of 5 people.^[8]

Major work

Television

• Ei Shob Din Ratri (1985): Written by Humayun Ahmed. A story about a middle-class family. Their sadness, happiness, struggles, and dreams of everyday life.
• Oyomoy (1988): Originally a novel written by Humayun Ahmed, this epic series follows the life of a landowner (Character name: Chhoto Mirza) in rural Bangladesh during an era of ignorance. Asaduzzaman Noor portrayed the wild characteristics of a protagonist subdued by wealth and a moral dilemma, brought about by the sheer mistrust of his own conscience.
• Bohubrihi (1988): Also written by Humayun Ahmed, Noor plays a poet, who has had the misfortune of losing his wife, but lives merrily through his creative art and his two rather mischievous children. Although not a protagonist, he will be forever remembered as 'Anis bhai'.
• Kothao Keu Nei (1990): Another Humayun Ahmed production, considered a milestone in Noor's career and also in Bangladeshi TV drama. Noor played the role of 'Baker Bhai', a goon who is popular in the locality for his idealistic views. The serial ended with the trial and execution of Baker bhai in a murder case plotted by his adversary. This created a huge emotional impact nationwide.
• Priyo Podorekha (1992): A TV film produced by BTV and written by Humayun Ahmed.
• Aaj Robibar (1999): A comedy sitcom by Humayun Ahmed production. A big hit TV series in late 90's.
• Ke Hotey Chay Kotipoti (2011): Noor hosts the show. It is a Bengali game show which is a Bangla version of the British famous show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The show airs on Desh TV every Monday to Tuesday at 9.45 pm. Moinul Hossain Mukul has produced it.

Movies

• Hooliya (1984)
• Shonkhonil Karagar (1992)
• Aguner Poroshmoni (1994): In Humayun Ahmed's portrayal of the Bangladesh Liberation War, Noor plays the central character of a freedom fighter, who finds love among chaos in Dhaka. He received national acclaim along with the other casts of the film for performance.^[9]
• Chondrokotha (2003)

Awards

• Shahid Munier Chowdhury Award (2006)^[10]
• Syed Badruddin Hossain Memorial Award (2015)^[2]
• World Theatre Day Award (2015)^[11]

Personal life

Noor is married to Shaheen Akhter, a doctor of Pediatric Neurology in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Together they have a son, Sudipto, and a daughter, Shuprova Tasneem. Sudipto is married to Kajalie Shehreen Islam, daughter of a Bangladeshi diplomat M. Aminul Islam.^[12] Noor has a sister, Kaosar Afsana, the Director of Health, Nutrition and Population at BRAC, Bangladesh.^[13]

References

External links

• Asaduzzaman Noor at the Internet Movie Database