Milon Kanti Dey, one of the pioneers of Jatra theatre, has passed away. He died on Saturday at 3:25pm at his residence in Kalishahor, Patia, Chattogram. He was 78.
Dey had been battling cancer for a long time. He had recently been in Dhaka for treatment and was preparing to travel there again when his health deteriorated over the past few days. He lost the ability to speak, and his condition worsened further on Saturday morning. He passed away at home later that afternoon. His family will decide the arrangements for his funeral.
Born on September 1, 1948, in Chonhora village of Patia, Chattogram, De began his acting career in Jatra in 1966. Over the course of his career, he directed more than 120 Jatra productions and acted in over 151 performances. In 1993, he founded Desh Opera, which introduced a modern perspective to Jatra theatre. He also worked as a Jatra trainer at several universities across the country.
Dey played a crucial role in reforming and modernising Bangladesh’s traditional Jatra performances. He served for many years as president of the Jatra Development Council.
In recognition of his contributions to theatre, he received the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 2022. For his lifelong dedication to Jatra, the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy honoured him with the Jatra Artist Award in 2023.
In 2024, his autobiographical book ‘Ami Je Ek Jatrawala’ was published, chronicling his long journey in Jatra theatre. That same year, his selected works were compiled and published as Nirbachito Jatrapala by Bangla Academy for the Ekushey Book Fair. Another book, A Brief History of Jatra and Famous Actresses, was awaiting publication at the time of his death.
Milon Kanti Dey’s passing has cast a deep shadow over the country’s cultural community. Colleagues and cultural workers remember him as a devoted craftsman and a guiding figure in Jatra theatre.
