Tributes paid to Mustafa Monwar at Central Shaheed Minar

Renowned artist Mustafa Monwar was paid final respects at the Central Shaheed Minar by people from all walks of life. Prominent figures from theatre and the cultural sector, along with members of various professions, placed flowers on his coffin in tribute.

Earlier today (Tuesday morning), his first funeral prayer was held at the Bangladesh Television (BTV) premises. The prayer was attended by Information and Broadcasting Minister Jahir Uddin Swapan, State Minister Yasser Khan Chowdhury, BTV Director General Md. Mahbubul Alam, media personality Shykh Seraj, theatre personality M. Hamid, and other notable figures from the media and cultural sectors.

After the first funeral prayer, his body was taken from the BTV premises to the Central Shaheed Minar around 11 a.m., where it was kept for public tributes.

At the Shaheed Minar, theatre personalities including Ramendu Majumdar, Mamunur Rashid, and Tariq Anam Khan, along with other cultural figures, paid their last respects. Representatives of various cultural and social organizations also joined the tribute.

Institutions and organizations also offered floral tributes, including the Bangladesh National Museum, World Literature Centre, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi, Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, as well as theatre groups such as Prachyanat, BotTola, and Duronto Station.

During the remembrance session, speakers including Mamunur Rashid, artist Anwar Hossain, and Keramat Mawla highlighted Mustafa Monwar’s long career, artistic vision, and his outstanding contribution to nurturing new generations of artists and cultural practitioners.

They described Monwar as a multidimensional creative personality whose works, thoughts, and philosophy would remain a lasting source of inspiration in Bangladesh’s cultural history.

His body was kept at the Central Shaheed Minar until around 12:30 p.m. for public homage. It was then taken to the Central Mosque of Dhaka University for a second funeral prayer. After the prayer, the body will be taken to the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka—his cherished workplace. Following formal tributes there and at the Channel i premises, he will be buried at Banani Cemetery in the afternoon.

He passed away on Monday (June 29) at around 8:30 a.m. while undergoing treatment at Square Hospital in Dhaka after suffering from age-related complications.