Turkish hit series "Kuruluş Osman" ("The Ottoman") has managed to conquer the hearts of the people of Bangladesh, becoming one of their favorite programs as the show is available to stream with Bengali dubbing and with both English and Bengali subtitles, according to Dhaka-based satellite and cable channel National Television (NTV).
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), senior NTV producer Saifullah Saif said that people have been drawn to the series, which has been airing since Feb. 2, due to its interesting theme and outstanding visuals.
"This is one of the most popular programs of our television channel and it is a record success that just within one month a mega-series has gained such a massive popularity," Saif said.
He noted that people in Bangladesh are drawn to the Turkish show because it depicts history rather than mythologies.
"If you watch ‘Kuruluş Osman,’ you will find a very strong theme, full of excitement, excellent dialogues, awesome visual sequences, filming at some very attractive hilly and forest sites of the historic city of Istanbul," he said.
Turkey's envoy to Bangladesh Mustafa Osman Turan told AA that the popularity of Turkish productions in Bangladesh has created a new bond between the fraternal countries.
"They entice Bangladeshi tourists to visit Turkey and explore Turkish history and culture. It is the best channel to facilitate people-to-people contacts," he noted.
Rafiqul Islam, professor of the Arabic Department at Dhaka University, said that "Kuruluş Osman" is his favorite television program.
"Once I liked Turkish mega-series ‘Diriliş Ertuğrul’ ('Resurrection Ertuğrul') most and now ‘Kuruluş Osman’ is on the top of my selection. I have never been impressed so much by any television programs in my life as I feel for these two mega-series," Islam said.
Colorful posters depicting "Kuruluş Osman" can be seen hanging on the walls near different roadside tea stalls and pillars of flyovers.
Blend of entertainment and knowledge
"I have already enjoyed all episodes of ‘Kuruluş Osman’ through the internet with Bengali and English subtitles. Now I am enjoying the Bengali dubbing episodes with my family members," said Abdus Salam a resident of Dhaka.
He added that the series is now the most popular television program among all his family members and other relatives.
Bangladeshi medical scientist Firdausi Qadri, who won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2021, which is known as Asia's Nobel Prize, said that outstanding themes, dialogue and ethical lessons have been combined in "Kuruluş Osman."
"I am mesmerized with this brilliant mega-series and enjoying it very much," Qadri said, adding that for the spread of good governance and social justice such a series is very important.
Nora Alam, a young writer and analyst of Muslim history, told AA that the series has become popular in the Muslim majority country because the people believe the Ottoman Empire was acting as a shield for the Muslim community worldwide.
After watching "Kuruluş Osman," people are once again recalling a significant chapter in the golden history of Islam, which was established and based on the principle of justice for not just Muslims, but all people, he said.
"After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, 45 states were carved out of it as independent nations. Unfortunately, most of those countries have failed to continue functioning based on justice and rule of law," Alam viewed.
Echoing his words, Mohammad Saleh Uddin, a student of Dhaka University, said that during the 800-year history of the Ottoman Empire, no forces dared to persecute Muslims and it also practiced justice and rule of law.
"The empire’s founder Osman's struggles against the barbaric Mongols, Knight Templars, and complex internal conspiracies of the then Seljuk dynasty. It is full of thrills, tense moments with moral lessons for the Muslim community to face the modern challenges," he said.
Across digital platforms
Moreover, the Bengali-dubbed mega series has been viewed by vast amounts of people through other digital platforms.
Divided into smaller episodes, the Toffee app has been releasing the series for Bengali-language people around the world.
The first episode of season two has been viewed 5.2 million times through the app meaning, that at least 20 million people have watched the episode.
Another website, Onubad Media, also releases the episodes every morning with Bengali subtitles, allowing people in Bangladesh to watch "Kuruluş Osman" through multiple platforms.