National Film Award-winning filmmaker Shahnewaz Kakoli is expected to travel to Bengaluru, India, between June 15 and 20 for advanced medical treatment after showing limited improvement following a stroke, according to her husband Pran Roy.
Preparations are underway to take Kakoli to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru, where consultations have already been completed and medical visas secured.
Speaking to Channel i Online, Pran Roy said the filmmaker’s condition had not improved significantly despite ongoing treatment.
“Her treatment has been ongoing for a long time, but there has not been much improvement. We are planning to move her to Bengaluru very soon,” he said.
According to Roy, Kakoli remains unable to walk and continues to experience limited movement on the left side of her body due to paralysis caused by the stroke. While months of therapy at the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) in Mirpur have resulted in some progress, her overall condition remains a concern.
“She can now sit for a while with support, which was not possible before. But she still cannot walk without assistance, and even eating remains difficult,” he said.
The couple are planning to travel later this month, although Roy said raising the substantial funds required for treatment abroad remains their biggest challenge.
“We do not yet know how long the treatment will take or what the total cost will be. We need to travel with a significant amount of money in hand,” he said.
Roy added that treatment expenses had so far been covered through personal efforts and support from well-wishers, but costs associated with overseas medical care are expected to be considerably higher.
He said Actors Equity Bangladesh had provided some assistance, though support from organisations representing filmmakers had been limited. Several individuals have also stepped forward to help, including Faridur Reza Sagar, managing director of Channel i.
Kakoli made her directorial debut with the film Uttorer Sur in 2012. The film received critical acclaim both in Bangladesh and internationally and won four National Film Awards. She later directed several other projects, including From Bangladesh, parts of which remain unfinished.
