A Feminist Interpretation of Humayun Ahmed’s <i>Kothao Keu Nei</i>

Abstract

The renowned Bangladeshi novelist Humayun Ahmed is well-known for his engaging stories, easy narratives, satiric tone, and humorous characters. Despite being a popular writer, he has gained less critical acclaim than comparable novelists from other countries. One of his best works Kothao Keu Nei (There Is No One Anywhere) was a huge success both as a novel and as a television adaptation. The novel essentially centres on the leading female character Muna’s struggle in a male-dominated society. It also focuses on the lives of some other women who are subjected to patriarchal tyranny. The novel, however, became popular because of the major male character Baker’s comical antics and his tragic death at the end of the story. As a result, the book’s central issue of female representation remained unappreciated and unexplored. Therefore, this paper looks at Humayun Ahmed’s representation of Bengali women, especially those from the middle class, through a feminist lens.