Jotsnar Phul is one such TV serial and it has received accolades at the recent Meril Prothom Alo Awards.

The drama serial was telecast on BTV from April through December 2004 and attained mass popularity, especially in the rural areas. Jotsnar Phul is a heartfelt portrayal of the every day lives of primary school teachers in rural Bangladesh.

The central character of the drama is Shawkat, played by renowned film actor Riaz. Shawkat is a dedicated school teacher who gives his all to bring positive changes in the school he works at. He tries to create a child friendly environment with the support of the parents and community. Other major characters in the drama are played by popular artistes Srabonti, Shimul, Abul Hayat, Dr Ejaz and Fazlur Rahman Babu.

The story of Jotsnar Phul is penned by renowned literary personality Humayun Ahmed and directed by Abul Hayat. The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education produced this serial with the technical and financial support from Unicef.

A quiz capsule was attached at the end of each episode of Jotsnar Phul and some 45000 letters that poured in as a response again proves how much the audience connected with the serial.

Director of Jotsnar Phul, Abul Hayat shared, "Initially I was excited about the opportunity to direct a drama series written by Humayun Ahmed. However, in time a greater reason was registered. This was an altruistic chance to encourage our children and communities about primary education."

Srabonti who won for best actress award by popular choice in the Meril Prothom Alo Awards for her portrayal of the character Juthi in the drama, said, "Working in this TV series was a gratifying experience for me. I had a rare opportunity to work with the writer, director, cast and crew, who are all ace players in their respective fields. Of course, we all had to work as a team to make the drama a success and this helped us bond so well on personal levels that we felt like a family."

Riaz, the protagonist of the drama, says, "I am proud to be a part of this serial because the message it disseminates tries to point out social issues in our rural society. I could literally notice its acceptance among the children in the villages, as they were identifying me as 'Shawkat Master'. I also felt that this was my chance to give something back to the community, as I've received immense love and affection from them."

It is intriguing to see how the primary school teachers interpreted the title of the TV serial, Jotsnar Phul "the flowers of moonlight". One school teacher quoted, "We the teachers are the moonlight and the children are the flowers that we help to blossom." Writer Humayun Ahmed could not be reached to verify why he chose the name, but the teachers and the audience surely interpreted it in the best way!