Note: Abdul Ahad (later, Mohammed Abdul Ahad, (Bengali: আবদুল আহাদ))(b. 1968) is an astronomer, author and space science researcher. He was born and raised in Bangladesh. Later moved to the UK with his family at the age of nine, and is an alumni of the University of Bedfordshire. Abdul Ahad is author of the science fiction novel series 'First Ark to Alpha Centauri'. He is also the screenwriter, director and producer of the film by the same title. He became the first Bangladeshi-born author to successfully publish a mainstream fantasy novel worldwide via a United States publisher. Ahad is probably better known for the research work he has completed in relation to his astronomy and space science interests, that have been published both online and in scientific journals.