Veteran Bangladeshi actor Ilias Kanchan received a visit from fellow film star Alamgir a day after returning to Bangladesh following more than 15 months of medical treatment in the United Kingdom.
The visit took place on Tuesday at Kanchan’s residence in Gulshan, Dhaka.
The news was confirmed to local media by Liton Ershad, vice-chairman of Nirapad Sarak Chai (NISCHA), the road safety organisation chaired by Kanchan.
According to Liton Ershad, Alamgir arrived at around 5:30pm and spent nearly two hours with the veteran actor.
“The two have shared a close friendship for many years beyond the film industry,” Ershad said.
“Most of their conversation centred on Kanchan’s health. They also reminisced about old memories and shared moments of laughter. Because of his illness, Kanchan sometimes struggles to remember certain things, so Alamgir tried to help him recall those memories. He also encouraged him to stay mentally strong and not to worry.”
Kanchan has been undergoing treatment in London since April 2025 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. In August 2025, he underwent brain surgery at a hospital in the UK.
Doctors successfully removed a significant portion of the tumour but were unable to remove it entirely due to the associated risks.
He was later diagnosed with brain cancer.
Following the operation, the actor underwent an intensive course of treatment, including several phases of chemotherapy and oral therapy.
According to family members, he received more than 60 chemotherapy sessions over a 12-week period during the initial phase, followed by two separate three-month courses of oral therapy. In total, he underwent around 100 chemotherapy treatments across three stages.
Despite the lengthy treatment, Kanchan’s recovery has been slower than hoped.
“He had become restless after spending more than a year and a half abroad,” Liton Ershad said.
“He kept telling his family that since the third phase of therapy had been completed, he wanted to return home for a few months. It was his own wish to come back to Bangladesh. His physical condition is still not very good, and there has not been significant improvement. His third phase of therapy ended on 30 July, and he will begin another course of treatment later. Before that, he wanted to spend some time in his own country.”
Quoting Kanchan’s doctors, Ershad added that the cancer remains confined to the original location in his brain and has not spread to other parts of his body, which physicians consider a positive sign.
He also said the veteran actor is now able to speak gradually, although his speech remains slow and laboured.
At times, he struggles to complete full sentences after speaking for a few minutes. While his appetite is generally normal, he has yet to regain his previous routine of eating meals on time.
Kanchan returned to Bangladesh on 3 August, accompanied by his wife and son-in-law, after completing the latest phase of his treatment in the UK.
