Bangladeshi dance artist Bazlur Rahman Badal is dead

Swadhinata Padak-winning Bangladeshi dance artist Bazlur Rahman Badal has died.

The nonagenarian breathed his last at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on Sunday afternoon.

He was put on intensive care after developing breathing and heart complications , Dr Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal at the hospital said. He had also suffered from pneumonia.

The dancer was taken to the hospital with breathing problem on Friday night from his daughter’s home in Rajshahi City’s Shiroil area. But he had been kept on the floor due to lack of beds at the hospital.

When the news spread on the social media, Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton and the district administration came forward and arranged a bed for him on Saturday. He was taken to the ICU on Sunday morning when his condition deteriorated.

The 94-year-old artist last year received Bangladesh’s highest civilian award, Swadhinata Padak, for his contribution to culture.

Called “Nritya Guru”, he had won Shilpakala Academy Award, Nazrul Academy Award, to name a few.

Born at Malda in West Bengal on Oct 18, 1923, he passed matriculation exams from Malda Zilla School in 1945.

He came to Rajshahi the following year to take part in a drama but did not return to Malda.