Legendary artist Mustafa Monowar celebrates his 90th birthday today. He was born on September 1, 1935 in Matulalay, Jessore, while his ancestral home is in Manoharpur village of Shailkupa upazila, Jhenaidah. His father was the late poet Golam Mustafa and his mother Jamila Khatun.
Monowar’s contributions to puppetry and television drama in Bangladesh are unparalleled. He is best known as the creator of ‘Notun Kuri’, the iconic BTV programme that nurtured generations of young talent.
His education began at Shishu Vidyapith in Kolkata, where he studied music under his father and elder brother. Later, after enrolling at the Government Art College, he again immersed himself in music, training under Ustad Santosh Roy, a disciple of Ustad Fayyaz Khan.
He also worked closely with renowned musician Nirmalendu Chowdhury, although his deep passion for painting ultimately drew him away from a career in vocal music.
During the Language Movement, Monowar was a ninth-grade student at Narayanganj Government School. News of the Dhaka shootings, where several students were martyred, spurred him into action. He began drawing protest posters with friends and pasting them across the city. Arrested by police for this activism, the teenage Monowar spent a month in prison.
In the Liberation War of 1971, he led the cultural team of the Bangladesh Government-in-Exile at various times in India, shaping international opinion in favour of independence.
His lifelong pursuit of creative expression has established new dimensions in Bangladeshi art. A graduate of Calcutta Art College, Monowar has earned acclaim both for his brushwork on canvas and his versatility in music.
Monowar began his professional career as a lecturer at the East Pakistan Arts and Crafts College. He later held numerous prestigious posts, including Deputy Director General of Bangladesh Television, Director General of the Shilpakala Academy, Director General of the National Media Institute, General Manager of Bangladesh Television (Dhaka) and Managing Director of the FDC.
He also served as Chairman of Janabibhag Unnayan Kendra and Project Director of the Educational Puppet Development Centre.
His awards began early and continued throughout his life. In 1957, he won a gold medal in graphics at the All India Arts and Crafts Exhibition, Calcutta. The following year, he won two more gold medals for oil painting and watercolour at the Calcutta University Students’ Fine Arts Exhibition.
In recognition of his immense contributions, he received the Ekushey Padak in 2004. Other honours include the Tenashas Padak (1990) for his work in television drama, the Bangladesh Charushilpi Sangsad Award (1992), the Kids Honorary Padak (1999), the Shishu Kendra Special Award (2002) and the Rishi Padak (2002), among many others.
With a career spanning nine decades, Mustafa Monowar remains one of Bangladesh’s most celebrated creative figures, revered for his pioneering work in fine arts, television, theatre and puppetry.
