Bangladeshi Supernatural comes to Britain

Aliens and zombies to help British Bangladeshis learn English Bishaash, a new supernatural drama by the BBC has come to UK television screens. The drama set in Bangladesh and the UK is billed as South Asia’s first ever supernatural detective series. Bishaash is broadcasting through a partnership with Zee Network on Zee Café.

The story follows the journey of Zara, a young British-Bangladeshi woman who packs up her life in London and travels to Bangladesh after discovering she is the co-owner of an antique shop in Dhaka. Here she encounters supernatural investigator Abir and is thrown into his world of mystery, magic and adventure. From treasure hunts in old Dhaka, to battles with aliens and zombies and passion on London’s Southbank, the 24 part series is packed with gripping storylines, special effects and romance. Made by the BBC World Service Trust, with dialogue in Bangla and English, the supernatural drama does more than entertain.

It has a partner programme BBC Janala Mojay Mojay Shekha, which is as an educational game show and comedy that builds on the English used in the drama, providing a fun and free way for people to learn English. BBC Janala (‘Window’), launched in November 2009 is a unique multi-platform project that harnesses multimedia technology to provide affordable education to millions of people in Bangladesh. It includes the internationally acclaimed BBC Janala mobile service which has recently won awards from Microsoft and the GSMA. Originally designed for audiences in Bangladesh, both programmes are part of English in Action, a major initiative launched by the UK’s Department for International Development to support the economic development of Bangladesh by raising the English language skills of 25 million people across the country.

A recent BBC survey of the British Bangladeshi population revealed one third consider English skills to be a top issue facing the community, whilst two thirds think English language classes would support UK integration. The study highlighted a potential opportunity for more people to benefit from the programmes in the UK and prompted the BBC to approach Zee Network as a broadcast partner. “For many British Bangladeshis the desire and need to learn English is strong, even today,”said the BBC World Service Trust’s Asia Director, Caroline Howie.

“This new partnership will provide an opportunity for people with low English skills to share in the unique learning experience provided by the shows.” Already watched by millions in Bangladesh, the shows are expected to receive large audiences in the UK and will be broadcast back-to-back on Sundays at 20:00 from the 6 March. First transmission broadcasts will be free-to-view for all digital subscribers. “Zee is proud to showcase Bishaash and Mojay Mojay Shekha on Zee Café,” said Govind Shahi from Zee Network. “It is an excellent production offering a storyline that breaks from the traditional formula of many South Asian dramas, but remains true to the key elements that keep our viewers engrossed; family, tradition and love.

“At its heart Zee’s ethos is to entertain all South Asian communities but these programmes go beyond this; with the functional English learning aspect it is entertainment with a social conscience.” Developed under the remit to ‘educate, inform and entertain’, Bishaash is a first for the BBC, which has arguably never before made such an ambitious and transnational serial drama of this kind. It includes cast and crew from both Bangladesh and Britain with major names such as A.T.M. Shamsuzamman (Rustom), Humayan Faridee (Kabir), Giasuddin Selim (Director), as well as rising stars Md Shaidul Islam Molla (Abir), Shama Rahman (Zara), Arabi Rahman (Labony) and Waris Islam (Writer/Director).

Mojay Mojay Shekha is hosted by celebrity Rumana Malik Munmun, with the help of slap-stick comedian Kamal Bayazid and English teacher Alexandra Tyers. Together they set challenges for competitors in and out of the studio, to develop their English skills. Bishaash and BBC Janala Mojay Mojay Shekha are broadcasting back-to-back on Zee Café on Sundays at 20.00 and repeated on Mondays at 16.30 and Sunday evenings at 00.30. The television programmes are supported by bbcjanala.com a free website dedicated to supporting Bangladeshi English learners with content related to the drama.