Tree without Roots Character
M
Majeed
Protagonist
Clever
Ambitious
Manipulative
Power-hungry
Majeed is the central character of the novel who travels to Mahabbatpur and fraudulently declares an old grave as a saint's shrine. He exploits religion to control the villagers and accumulate wealth and power. Despite his outward success, he remains deeply lonely and insecure.
R
Rahima
Supporting
Strong
Obedient
Kind
Devout
Rahima is Majeed's first wife who is deeply religious and sincerely believes in her husband's holiness. She listens to and supports the village women, offering them comfort and prayer. Her life embodies the quiet suffering and submission of women within a patriarchal society.
J
Jamila
Supporting
Bold
Fearless
Rebellious
Carefree
Jamila is Majeed's young and beautiful second wife who refuses to blindly obey him. She skips prayers, laughs freely, and resists his authority, which provokes his anger. Her death in the face of his cruelty and injustice establishes her as a powerful symbol of rebellion.
KB
Khaleque Bepari
Supporting
Wealthy
Influential
Supportive of Majeed
Exploitative
Khaleque Bepari is the rich landowner of Mahabbatpur who initially supports and helps Majeed settle in the village. He has two wives, Amena and Tanu, and represents the powerful class that uses religion as a tool to maintain social control over the poor.
AB
Amena Bibi
Minor
Sad
Desperate
Victimised
Childless
Amena Bibi is Khaleque's childless first wife who seeks fertility through holy water from another pir. Majeed, driven by jealousy, falsely accuses her of sin, leading her husband to divorce her. She becomes a tragic victim of superstition and male domination.
TB
Tanu Bibi
Minor
Also known as: Tanu
Fertile
Lively
Valued instrumentally
Tanu Bibi is Khaleque's young second wife who bears children regularly. Her fertility is the sole basis of her value in the eyes of those around her, and her presence intensifies Amena Bibi's suffering. She represents how women are reduced to their reproductive roles in patriarchal society.
TM
Tara Mian
Minor
Honest
Powerless
Questioning
Courageous
Tara Mian is an old villager who is honest but lacks the power to challenge Majeed effectively. When he dares to question Majeed's growing authority, Majeed turns the community against him, leading to his humiliation and eventual disappearance, possibly death.
K
Kulsum
Minor
Simple
Innocent
Silent
Suffering
Kulsum is Tara Mian's daughter whose family is devastated by Majeed's false judgment. Her quiet, unspoken pain illustrates how young girls bear the heaviest burden of a male-dominated and superstition-ridden rural society.
HM
Hasuni's Mother
Minor
Poor
Talkative
Superstitious
Helpless
Hasuni's Mother is a poor village woman who frequently visits Rahima seeking help and advice. She holds a deep, unquestioning belief in the power of the shrine. Her blind faith represents the ignorance and vulnerability of rural women under pervasive religious influence.
A
Akkas
Supporting
Educated
Progressive
Idealistic
Rational
Akkas is a young educated man who aspires to open a school for village children and champions knowledge over superstition. Majeed opposes his efforts and turns the villagers against him. He serves as a symbol of education, logic, and resistance to religious manipulation.
TG
The Government Officer
Minor
Observant
Neutral
The Government Officer appears at the opening of the novel near the Garo Hills, where he encounters Majeed and listens to him speak about faith. His brief presence serves to introduce Majeed's character and establishes the religious and social context of the narrative.
TR
The Rival Pir of Auwalpur
Antagonist
Fraudulent
Ambitious
Threatening
Competitive
The Rival Pir of Auwalpur emerges later in the story, claiming extraordinary spiritual powers and drawing followers away from Majeed. Majeed ultimately defeats him through trickery rather than genuine spiritual authority. He symbolises the corrupt competition among false religious leaders.
TV
The Villagers of Mahabbatpur
Symbolic
Simple
Poor
Uneducated
Credulous
The villagers of Mahabbatpur are a collective character representing the rural masses of Bengal. They believe everything Majeed tells them without question, living in a state of fear of both God and the powerful. They symbolise the exploitation of the uneducated poor through religion and superstition.