Selim Al Deen

Muhamed Mianudin Ahmed (18 August 1949 – 14 January 2008) He was the founder chairperson of the Department of Drama and Dramatics at Jahangirnagar University. He was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1984 and Ekushey Padak in 2007 by the Government of Bangladesh for his contribution to theatre and won the Independence Award in 2023 for his contribution to the field of literature.

Early life and education Muhamed Mianudin Ahmed was born on 18 August 1949 to Mofizuddin Ahmed and Firoza Khatun in the village of Senerkhil in Sonagazi, Feni, then part of the Noakhali district of East Bengal. He was the third of their seven siblings. He assumed this pen name later. His school life started in 1954. He travelled with his father to different parts of the country and received education in many institutions as his father was doing a transferable government job in the department of Customs and Excise. He passed matriculation examination in 1964 from Mongal Kandi Bohu Mukhi High School and ISc from Feni College in 1966.

In 1967, he was admitted to the University of Dhaka to study Bengali literature. But later he graduated from the Karatia College, Tangail. He came back to the University of Dhaka and obtained his MA degree from the Bengali Department. It was his instructor and a playwright Munier Chowdhury who encouraged him to focus attention on drama. First he started reading plays and study the life of playwrights. Then he started to write plays himself. He wrote his first drama in 1968 while still a university-student. His first radio play was ('On the other side of Darkness') was broadcast in 1969. He used this new style in his dramas like and . He helped to build the Dramatics department of Jahangirnagar University and involved there as a teacher for 30 years.

Serial drama Ronger Manush was written by Selim Al Deen jointly with Masum Reza. The story of rural life ran for 111 episodes on NTV.

in the USA and India by Deen premiered in 1990 at the Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was translated into English as The Wheel by Syed Jamil Ahmed and adapted by Steve Friedman. The play was jointly directed by Syed Jamil Ahmed and Denny Partridge. Inspired by its success, Denny Partridge directed The Wheel again at Barnard's Minor Latham Playhouse, in New York City on 13, 14 and 15 November 2003. The cast featured Ian Anthony, Ann Cheung, Samantha Debicki, Ariana Getz, Oscar Olivo, Lindsay Strachan, Chloe Waters-Wallace, Matt Wilstein and Jessica Valadez. In 2006, Syed Jamil Ahmed directed the play in Hindi (titled ) at the National School of Drama, New Delhi, India.

Films Kittonkhola was made into a film in 2000. Directed by Abu Sayeed, the film was adapted from the stage play written by Deen. Featuring Raisul Islam Asad and Naila Azad Nupur, the film brought to light the lives of jatra artistes and their struggles to make a living off the dying performing art.

Unfinished projects As many as six plays written by Deen are available which remain to be staged.

Death and legacy Deen died at Labaid Cardiac Hospital in Dhaka on 14 January 2008 after being admitted to hospital following a cardiac attack on 11 January. The same day he was scheduled to be flown to Thailand for a better medical care. He had been suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney and diabetic problems.

The road to his village home in Senerkhil has been named after him. The road is known as Selim Al Deen Road that connected Notun Bazar and Darograr Hat. A government primary school has also been named after him and his mother. The school is located in front of his village residence.

The Selim Al Deen Muktamanch at Jahangirnagar University was named after him.

Sexual misconduct allegation During the height of Me Too movement, a former student of Deen, Musfiqa Laizu, came out and accused him of sexually exploiting students.