The family of legendary Dhallywood actress Nasima Khan is mourning her death, but one of her final wishes remains unfulfilled: to see her younger son, who has been missing for several months.
Her elder son, Shabab Nasim Rahman Upal, returned to Bangladesh from the US to attend her funeral. He said the family had fulfilled his mother’s wish to be buried according to religious customs. However, her greatest hope was to have her younger son, Nabil Nasir Kushal, return home.
Nasima Khan’s funeral prayers took place at 1.30pm on Thursday, 15 October, at the mosque beside Azimpur Old Graveyard in Dhaka. Her family buried her at the graveyard around 2pm. Relatives, family members and representatives of the Bangladesh Film Artistes’ Association attended the funeral.
Speaking about his loss, Upal said his mother had been exceptional. “There are very few mothers in the world like mine. I would not have reached where I am today without her support,” he said.
Upal also recalled his final conversation with his mother. He spoke to her over the phone the day before she died, when she was in hospital. During a video call, she recognised him but could not understand what he was saying.
Asked whether he had fulfilled her final wish, Upal said, “My mother’s final wish was to be buried according to religious customs. That has been fulfilled. However, she had another wish. My younger brother has been missing for several months. Her greatest wish was to have him back, and that is yet to be fulfilled. I will try my best to find him and bring him home.”
Nasima Khan had two sons. Upal went to the US for his studies and now works at an organisation there. Her younger son, Kushal, lived with her at their home in Bhadail, under Ashulia police station. He left home in February and has not returned since.
The actress had previously expressed deep concern over her younger son’s disappearance. In an interview, she revealed that Kushal had schizophrenia. She also said he had never gone missing in this way before.
Appealing for help to find him, Nasima Khan said, “My heart experiences anguish for my son. Where is he? Who is he with? What is he eating? Is he having to beg others for food? Thinking about these things breaks my heart. Someone, please find my son and bring him back.”
Nasima Khan was one of the early actresses in Bangladeshi cinema. She made her big-screen debut in 1959 with Jago Hua Savera. She later gained recognition as a leading actress with the 1961 film Je Nadi Moru Pathe.
From the 1960s to the 1980s, she enjoyed a successful acting career in both Bengali and Urdu cinema. Her final screen appearance came in Impress Telefilm’s Kusum Kusum Prem, released in 2011.
