BANGLADESH

With two chemo cycles over and feeling much better than before, writer Humayun Ahmed has already turned out almost 25 pages of a new book on his experiences in New York.

"It is not quite a novel or fiction. More of a biographical piece," Anyaprokash CEO Mazharul Islam told bdnews24.com on Tuesday.

The famous writer's publisher said this new book, with a title roughly translating to 'Bright sun on the New York sky' (New York-er akashe jhokjhoke rod), will have different chapters on Humayun's experiences during his treatment at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

One of the chapters of the book will have the same name as the title. "It's all about the things he has done and gone through," said the Anyaprokash chief executive.

Those include diverse topics like his chemo sessions and renting the house and setting up another home away from home. "He is going about in his typically humorous style of course."

However, it is still uncertain whether the book will be out before next February at the largest book fair of Bangladesh.

But chapters will be sent out to daily newspapers as and when they are complete, said Mazhar who has been living with the writer and his family at the same three-bedroom apartment in Jamaica, New York.

Humayun Ahmed was diagnosed with colon cancer during a routine check-up early September at Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital. He flew to New York for treatment soon after returning home. Mazhar has been with him since then.

Bangladesh's T20 win over the West Indies was a source of joy for writer Humayun Ahmed who watched his favourite team on the internet.

"We found out that ESPN would not broadcast the match here, so we called up people found out that the Cricinfo website would show it live," said Mazhar.

The publisher said Humayun was almost obsessed with the Bangladesh cricket team. And everything else comes to a halt whenever the Tigers are taking to the field.

"He even stops shooting or whatever other work he has at hand. This one time in Switzerland where he was shooting a TV drama, we scoured around and finally located an Irish pub where we watched the match."

It is not that Humayun is particularly interested in cricket. It's the team that matters. "I doubt he would be that interested in the cricket World Cup final unless Bangladesh were in it," said Mazharul Islam.