Dramatist Mannan Hira dies in Dhaka

Mannan Hira, the dramatist who was involved with the street theatre movement of Bangladesh, has died at a Dhaka hospital.

The president of Bangladesh Pothonatok Parishad breathed his last around 8:30pm on Wednesday at the Islami Bank Hospital, said Jhuna Chowdhury, a presidium member of Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation.

Ahmed Gias, general secretary of the Pothonatok Parishad, said the body of Hira will be kept at the Jatiya Natyashala from 11am to 12pm on Thursday for his colleagues to pay their last respects.

He will be taken to his home district Sirajganj for burial after funeral prayers at Segunbagicha Mosque later.

Hira also ran the theatre group Aranyak and wrote numerous dramas for theatre and TV.

These include “Lal Jomin”, “Bhager Manush”, “Moyur Singhason” and “Sada-Kalo”. He also wrote and directed the street theatre “Murkho Loker Murkho Kotha”.

He won the Bangla Academy Literature Award for his works in 2006.

Besides theatre, Hira made the government-funded film “Ekattorer Khudiram”. He also directed short films “Gorom Bhater Golpo” and “71 Er Rong Pencil”.