 In 2004, he got his MA in Near Eastern Studies from the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, where he currently conducts research as a doctoral candidate.He is also the author of several works of fiction in Arabic on ancient Egypt such as "In Search For Khnum" and "The Old Red Hippopotamus".Bassir worked as a member of Dr Zahi Hawass' archaeological team alongside Justin Ellis and Gregory Peters while participating in many archaeological excavations in sites all over Egypt.