The epic nature of Bhoirob comes through in the novel's memorable main character, Munshi Haider Ali Bhoirob. Bhoirob is a fantastic Promethean character in the physical beauty and strength of his body, the depth of his patriotism, the feeling in his love, the uprightness of his character, his dedication to social reformation, his stand against fanaticism, and in the expression of his deep affection for humanity in general. His wife, and one-time lover, Shiuli had said that when Bhoirob came to meet her, it was as though sixty bright lanterns lit up the room. The novel spans nearly seventy-three years and Bhoirob is present for seventy-one of them. The year 1971 is significant to the development of the story because the Pakistani Army, instigated by the region's Rajakar Commander Khaleq and his brother, the Imam of the mosque, Malek, raped and murdered his daughter and granddaughter. Bhoirob arrives immediately after this transpires and when he learns of what happened, he grabs an axe and splits Malek's head in two as he screams, "Here, take your Pakistan! I've divided it into two!" Bhoirob displayed an insurmountable amount of courage when he refused to go to school simply because he would not serve the British; when he warned the then Prime Minister Tajudddin Ahmed during the Liberation War that not every Freedom Fighter was true; when he fought a tiger and killed it using his sheer strength; and when he broke through the conservative barriers of the Muslim society to indulge in numerous adventures with his lover, Shiuli. The author has not hesitated to describe the different social ills, including the many faces of prostitution, which Bhoirob and his lifelong friends from childhood, Khokon and Dulal, who are themselves homosexuals, strive to solve. Bhoirob's satirical and humorous outlook on these issues add another strong dimension to the story. His decisions and manner of problem- solving remind us of the character Don Corleone from Mario Puzo's novel, The Godfather. The difference is that Puzo's character presents no humor or satire while Kazi Shahid Ahmed's is full of fun.
