Dirilis: Ertugrul is a hit Turkish television series that is taking the world by storm. The show’s central character, Ertugrul Bey, is the father of Osman Ghazi, who was the founder of the Ottoman Empire.
The show is an action-packed drama that shows the titular character and his followers encountering obstacles and fighting against them be it the Mongols, Byzantine Christians, Knights Templars or even the shadowy Vatican in 12th Century Turkey.
The Ottoman Empire was well-known for its Islamic resurgence that at its height controlled much of the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and southern Spain. It is one of the four major Islamic caliphates of note alongside those of the Rashidun Caliphate, Umayyad Caliphate and Abbasid Caliphate. Although not technically a caliphate, historically the most important period of Islamic rule in much of South Asia is of course, the Mughal Empire.
Last year, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan touted the show as definitely a must-watch for those interested in Islamic history and one that is distinct from the inherent bias present in the film industries of Hollywood and Bollywood. His recommendation comes after a meeting at the United Nations General Assembly between the leaders of Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey, where they pledged to launch an English language channel representing Muslims and our shared Islamic values.
In Bangladesh, Turkish series like Sultan Suleiman and Fatmugul were well-received by a widely appreciative audience. Bangladesh, being a Muslim-majority country, also shares a common heritage with the above-mentioned nations, yet much of our youth today have a woefully inadequate grasp of Islamic history and its spectacular successes.
Dirlis Ertugrul is currently available with millions of views in Youtube, Netflix and has had international broadcasts in several countries in the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia and even in South America.
Oyon Reza is a medical graduate who currently works at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
