The death of veteran theatre personality and actor Ataur Rahman, popularly known as ‘Mancha Sarathi’, has prompted an outpouring of grief from colleagues and admirers, as cultural figures gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Tuesday to pay their final respects.
Ataur Rahman died at a hospital in the capital at around 12:30 am on Monday while undergoing treatment. He was 84.
The late theatre veteran’s body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar on Tuesday afternoon, where people from all walks of life paid tribute. Earlier, his first funeral prayer was held after Zuhr in front of his residence at Ispahani Century Arcade in Moghbazar.
Ramendu Majumdar
Cultural personality Ramendu Majumdar described the coincidence of Ataur Rahman’s death and wedding anniversary as “deeply painful”.
Speaking at Shaheed Minar, he said the day, which should have been a celebration for the family, had instead turned into one of mourning for his wife, Shahida Rahman.
“I spoke to his wife yesterday. She told me her husband was on life support on their wedding anniversary. It was heartbreaking to hear,” he said. “This grief is truly unbearable.”
Lucky Enam
Veteran actress Lucky Enam also paid tribute to her long-time colleague, describing him as an irreplaceable figure in Bangladesh’s cultural sphere.
“Ataur Rahman gave so much to theatre, culture and the country. People like him cannot be replaced,” she said.
Recalling her early days in theatre, she said she first worked with him in 1972 in Michael Madhusudan Dutt’s play ‘Buro Shaliker Ghare Ron’, which he directed.
“He was my first director. He taught me how to work on stage,” she added.
Lucky Enam also praised Ataur Rahman’s depth of knowledge and passion for reading, saying younger theatre practitioners could learn greatly from his speeches and writings.
Zahid Hasan
Actor Zahid Hasan remembered Ataur Rahman as “extraordinarily knowledgeable” yet “as simple and lively as a child”.
“The void created by him can never be filled,” he said while attending the funeral prayer in Moghbazar.
He also recalled spending time with the theatre veteran at Humayun Ahmed’s Nuhash Palli and said Ataur Rahman often advised him on different aspects of life and acting.
“He had remarkable command over both Bengali and English literature,” Zahid Hasan said, adding that the veteran actor possessed deep knowledge of Shakespeare and Rabindranath Tagore.
According to stage actor Kamal Bayezid, Ataur Rahman’s body remained at the Central Shaheed Minar from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm for public homage before being taken for burial at Banani Graveyard after Asr prayers.
“There was some uncertainty over bringing the body to Shaheed Minar because of Tarique Rahman’s visit to Dhaka University, but permission was eventually granted,” he said.
Ataur Rahman, who received both the Ekushey Padak and Swadhinata Padak for his contributions to theatre and culture, was one of the pioneers of Bangladesh’s post-independence theatre movement.
