Renowned cartoonist Rafiqun Nabi has expressed deep sorrow over the death of eminent artist, art educator and puppetry pioneer Mustafa Monwar, describing it as an irreparable loss to the country and its cultural heritage.
Upon hearing the news of Monwar’s passing, Nabi rushed to the late artist’s residence in Dhanmondi to pay his final respects.
Speaking briefly to the media, Nabi said, “Mustafa Monwar was one of the leading figures in the country’s creative world. He was an outstanding personality in our cultural arena. His death is an irreparable loss for our nation and its culture. The void created by his passing will not be easy to fill.”
He added that Monwar had elevated himself to a unique stature through his diverse creative works, and that his artistic achievements and lifelong contributions earned him a place of special honour in Bangladesh’s cultural history.
According to the family, Mustafa Monwar breathed his last at around 8:30am on Monday while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the capital. He had been suffering from prolonged health complications.
Rubel, the artist’s longtime personal assistant, said he had been at the hospital since 3:00am and received the news of Monwar’s death from the attending physicians later that morning.
The artist’s body was subsequently taken from the hospital to his residence in Dhanmondi. Family members said that after the ritual bathing (ghusl) at Taqwa Mosque, the body would be kept at his residence on Road No. 1 in Dhanmondi to allow relatives and well-wishers to pay their respects.
At the time of filing this report, the family had not yet finalised the time and venue of his burial.
