Zayed Khan (Bangladeshi actor)

Zayed Khan
জায়েদ খান
Khan in 2018
Born
Zahirul Haque

Pirojpur, Bangladesh
EducationDhaka City College
University of Dhaka
OccupationsActor, film producer, television presenter
Years active2007–present
Websitezayedkhan.net

Zahirul Haque, known professionally as Zayed Khan, is a Bangladeshi film actor and television presenter. He made his film debut in Bhalobasha Bhalobasha (2007) and appeared in films including Atto Gopon (2012), Nagar Mastan (2015) and Antor Jala (2017), which he also produced. He played Tikka Khan in Shyam Benegal's Mujib: The Making of a Nation (2023).

Khan was general secretary of the Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association from 2017 to 2022. He was a member of the Bangladesh Awami League's central cultural affairs subcommittee. He later moved to the United States, where he has presented a programme for the New York-based Bengali outlet Thikana and acted in short films.

Early life and education

Khan was born on 30 July in Pirojpur, where he grew up. He is the youngest of three brothers and a sister. His mother, Shahida Haque, died in December 2021. The singer Khalid Hasan Milu was his paternal uncle, and Milu's sons, the singers Protic Hasan and Pritom Hasan, are his cousins.

After passing the Secondary School Certificate examination, Khan moved to Dhaka in 1995 and enrolled at Dhaka City College. He later studied history at the University of Dhaka, where he completed a master's degree.

Career

Khan with other media figures at the tenth anniversary celebration of Bangladesh Pratidin

Film

While a student, Khan took part in Notun Mukher Sondhane, a talent contest held at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation. He was cast in his first film, Bhalobasha Bhalobasha, by a producer from Pirojpur; it was directed by Mohammad Hannan and starred Riaz and Shabnur. The film was released in 2007, by which time he had signed for Jomidar Barir Meye and Paap Er Prayaschitta.

He appeared in Kajer Manush and Mon Chuyeche Mon in 2009, and in Amar Swapno Amar Songshar, Mayer Chokh and Rickshawalar Chele in 2010. He played the male lead opposite Shabnur in M. M. Sarkar's Atto Gopon (2012). Five of his films were released in 2014, including Prem Korbo Tomar Sathe, Dabang and Toke Bhalobashtei Hobe. His 2015 releases were Bhalobasha Shimahin and Nagar Mastan, in which he was paired with Pori Moni.

Khan produced Antor Jala (2017), his first film as producer, directed by Malek Afsary and co-starring Pori Moni. That year he also appeared opposite Nipun in the television film Light Camera Action.

In November 2021 he was cast as the Pakistani general Tikka Khan in Mujib: The Making of a Nation, Shyam Benegal's Bangladesh–India biopic of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His look for the role was released in September 2023. Sonar Char, in which he appeared with Moushumi and Omar Sani, was released at Eid al-Fitr in April 2024.

Work in North America

In a 2026 interview, Khan said he had lived in the United States for the previous two years. In December 2024 he began presenting an entertainment programme for Thikana, a New York-based Bengali media outlet; it was his first work as a host.

He has acted in Immigrant Diaries, a Thikana series of short films about Bangladeshi immigrants in New York. The first instalment, American Dream, directed by Jon Kabir, was released in March 2026. In the second, Eid Mubarak, directed by Kabir and Saad Al Amin and released on 26 May 2026, he appeared with Zohran Mamdani. By October 2026 he was filming Violence in Canada, directed by Kamal Hossain Babor, in which he plays a Canadian police officer opposite Shirin Shila.

Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association

Khan was elected general secretary of the Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association in May 2017 on a panel led by Misha Sawdagar, receiving 279 votes to 145 for Amit Hasan. He was re-elected in October 2019 with 284 votes. In December 2020 the commerce ministry dissolved the committee of the Bangladesh Film Producers Distributors Association after an investigation upheld Khan's complaint, made as general secretary, that the committee had been elected through a rigged vote. Nipun Akter held the post for the 2022–2024 term.

Politics

In December 2020, Khan was appointed to the Awami League's central cultural affairs subcommittee for the 2019–2021 term. He said in March 2022 that he had been active in Bangladesh Chhatra League politics as a student and wanted to contest a parliamentary election as an Awami League candidate.

Filmography

Film

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2007 Bhalobasha Bhalobasha Debut film
2008 Jomidar Barir Meye
2009 Kajer Manush
Mon Chuyeche Mon
Paap Er Prayaschitta
2010 Amar Swapno Amar Songshar
Mayer Chokh
Rickshawalar Chele
Nag Naginir Shopno
2011 Goriber Bhai
Amar Prithibi Tumi
Bangla Bhai
2012 Atto Gopon Lead role
2014 Odrishyo Shotru
Prem Korbo Tomar Sathe
Dabang
My Name Is Simi
Toke Bhalobashtei Hobe
2015 Bhalobasha Shimahin
Nagar Mastan
2017 Antor Jala Also producer
2023 Mujib: The Making of a Nation Tikka Khan
2024 Lipstick Himself Special appearance
Sonar Char
2026 Violence † Canadian police officer Filming
TBA Bahaduri †
Khoto †

Television and web

Year Title Notes Ref.
2017 Light Camera Action Television film
2024 Untitled entertainment programme Presenter; Thikana
2026 Immigrant Diaries: American Dream Short film; Thikana
Immigrant Diaries: Eid Mubarak Short film; Thikana

Notes

  1. ↑ RTV gives his name as Zahirul Haque Monu.
  2. ↑ RTV dated the release to 2008. Prothom Alo reported in 2025 that he had been working in films since 2006.
  3. ↑ New Age reported 71 votes for the runner-up, Ilias Kobra; Prothom Alo reported 68.

References

  1. ↑ সিনেমায় এসে নাম বদলেছেন যেসব নায়ক-নায়িকা. Jago News 24 (in Bengali).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 আজকের দিনেই পৃথিবীতে এসেছিলেন জায়েদ খান [Zayed Khan was born on this day]. RTV (in Bengali). 30 July 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Shafiq Al Mamun (20 May 2015). জায়েদ খানের স্বপ্নপূরণ [Zayed Khan's dream fulfilled]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali).
  4. ↑ চিত্রনায়ক জায়েদ খানের মা মারা গেছেন. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 27 December 2021.
  5. ↑ তাঁরা তিন ভাই দুবাইয়ে [The three brothers in Dubai]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 24 June 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Akbar, Zahid; Chowdhury, Samiha Nawshin (24 February 2017). "Zayed Khan". The Daily Star.
  7. ↑ "Top 10 social media movie heroes". Prothom Alo. 7 August 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Zayed Khan to play Tikka Khan in 'Bangabandhu'". The Daily Star. 22 November 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Zayed Khan's transforms into Tikka Khan in 'Mujib' biopic". The Daily Star. 12 September 2023.
  10. 1 2 Akbar, Zahid (15 April 2024). "11-film Battle Royale: Who won?". The Daily Star.
  11. 1 2 3 Shahnewaz, Sadi Mohammad (30 March 2026). "Zayed Khan's comeback". The Daily Star.
  12. 1 2 "Zayed Khan to host show for New York-based magazine 'Thikana'". The Daily Star. 9 December 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Zayed Khan, Zohran Mamdani earn praise for 'Immigrant Diaries 2'". The Daily Star. 27 May 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Zayed Khan to play Canadian police officer in 'Violence'". The Daily Star. 10 October 2026.
  15. ↑ "Misha Sawdagar new president of Cholochitro Shilpi Shomiti". Dhaka Tribune.
  16. ↑ "Misha Saudagar elected new president". The Asian Age.
  17. 1 2 "Misha Sawdagar re-elected president, Zayed Khan general secy". New Age. 27 October 2019.
  18. 1 2 "Misha-Zayed panel wins in Cholochitro Shilpi Samity elections". Prothom Alo. 26 October 2019.
  19. ↑ Siddique, Habibullah (8 December 2020). "Film producers association's committee dissolved over actor Zayed's complaint". The Business Standard.
  20. ↑ "SC stays HC verdict allowing Zayed as BFAA gen secy". New Age. 21 November 2022.
  21. ↑ আ.লীগের সংস্কৃতিবিষয়ক উপকমিটি গঠিত. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 24 December 2020.
  22. ↑ আ. লীগের সংস্কৃতি বিষয়ক উপকমিটি গঠিত. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 24 December 2020.
  23. ↑ আ. লীগের হয়ে সংসদ নির্বাচন করতে চান জায়েদ খান. Jago News 24 (in Bengali). 26 March 2022.
  24. ↑ "Film 'Aamar Swapno Aamar Shongsar' to be released July 2". The New Nation. 27 June 2010.
  25. ↑ "'Mayer Chokh' to be released this Friday". The New Nation. 6 May 2010.
  26. ↑ "Eid movie 'Goriber Bhai'". The New Nation. 25 August 2011.
  27. ↑ "Eid movie 'Aamar Prithibi Tumi'". The New Nation. 23 August 2011.
  28. ↑ "'লিপস্টিক' একটি পূর্ণাঙ্গ সিনেমা হতে পেরেছে". Samakal (in Bengali). Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  29. ↑ মুক্তিযোদ্ধার চরিত্রে জায়েদ [Zayed as a freedom fighter]. Jugantor (in Bengali). 18 September 2021.
  30. ↑ "Who's that with Pori". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 10 March 2018.