Filmmaker Shahidul Islam Khokon passes away

Filmmaker Shahidul Islam Khokon, famous for his action movies, has died at a Dhaka hospital due to prolonged illness at 59.

Khokon, whose martial art-based films mesmerised Bangladeshi moviegoers between the mid-80s and early 90s, had been long suffering from a Motor Neurone Disease.

He breathed his last around 8:15am on Monday at the Uttar Adhunik Medical College Hospital (UAMCH).

UAMCH’s doctor Mosharraf Hossain told bdnews24.com that he had been kept on life support.

Apart from his neuro system becoming dysfunctional due to Motor Nuerone, he was diagnosed with pneumonia, doctors said.

Khokon had gone to the US in 2015 for treatment. But doctors at New York’s Bellevue Hospital advised him to return as there was no cure for the Motor Nuerone Disease.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her condolence over the filmmaker's death.

Khokon entered Dhallywood as an assistant director to producer and actor Sohel Rana.

His first movie ‘Rokter Bandi’, however, failed to make much impact at the box office.

He hit the spotlight with ‘Larhaku’, one of the first martial art-based action movies in Bangladesh.

Khokon then went on to deliver box-office hits like, ‘Palabai Kothay’, ‘Madam Fuli’, ‘Bhanda’, ‘Ghatak’, ‘Bajramustthi’, ‘Top Rangbaj’. Issues like good against evil and citizens’ battle with criminals were his pet themes.

Khokon is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.