Sisimpur

Characters

Muppet characters include Grover; Halum, a Bengal tiger who loves fish, fruits, and vegetables; Ikri Mikri, a small 3-year-old blue monster whose imagination contains three marionettes; Julia, a four-year-old autistic girl; Shiku, a small curious 5-year-old jackal; Tuktuki, an inquisitive 5-year-old girl who loves school and cricket; Manik-Ratan, a pair of sheep; Raya, an intelligent girl; and Khepu, a purple Grouch living in a claypot. The show has no full-body puppet character and no equivalent to Big Bird. Human characters include Lal Mia the postman; Mukul Moira, a university graduate and nursery owner; Sumona Moira, a local school teacher; Guni Moira, a sweet shop owner; Asha Moira, the local librarian; Polash Moira, their son; Bahadur the postman; and Nanu, who tells stories to Ikri Mikri.

Episodes

The first season had 26 episodes; a second season of 36 episodes was in production by February 2001, and a third season began production in April 2007. By 2022 the show had fourteen seasons, with a fifteenth season of 26 episodes premiering in February 2023. The series airs four times weekly on BTV and began airing on Duronto TV in July 2019 and on Maasranga Television in 2020. In October 2022 BTV renewed airing rights for five years, and Duronto TV received a four-year renewal in January 2023.

Reception and impact

Within seven months of its premiere, 75% of television-owning households watched the series, which proved popular beyond its 3–6 demographic. A 2005 study found that child viewers showed better vocabulary, counting, cognitive skills, life skills, and cultural knowledge than non-viewers. A 2009 study indicated that teachers who watched were more likely to understand learning through play, and parents who watched tended to view children as deserving attention and respect; some parents incorporated Sisimpur lessons into their parenting, while others appreciated seeing their values portrayed accessibly.

Other media

In 2017 Sisimpur collaborated with the AO Foundation on safety segments and a public service announcement. A radio version focusing on financial literacy was created in 2018. In November 2022 ten popular Sisimpur books were announced for Braille publication. In December 2022 the show partnered with UNESCO to promote World Heritage Sites in Bangladesh through a video documentary covering the Mosque City of Bagerhat, Sundarbans, and Somapura Mahavihara.

Did You Know?

• Production began in 2003, with the set centering on a rural street featuring a banyan tree and tea and sweet shops.
• The creation of Sisimpur was detailed in the 2006 documentary The World According to Sesame Street.
• Since 2015 the series has broadcast a holiday episode during Eid.