Mustafa Monwar, Bangladesh's 'Puppet Man,' Dies at 91

Eminent cultural personality, legendary painter, and the undisputed pioneer of puppet arts in Bangladesh, Mustafa Monwar, passed away this morning while undergoing treatment at a private facility in the capital. Widely revered as the "Puppet Man of Bangladesh," the iconic creator breathed his last at approximately eight-thirty AM at Dhaka's Square Hospital. He was ninety years old.

The master artist had been battling various age-related complications for the past several months and was hospitalized on June fourteen after contracting severe pneumonia. As his physical condition deteriorated, he was placed under intensive care and ventilator support. His passing has cast a deep shadow of profound grief across the nation’s art, literature, and cultural arenas. Following ritual bathing at the Taqwa Mosque in Dhanmondi, his body was brought to his residence at noon for family and well-wishers to pay their final respects, before being transferred to the Square Hospital cold storage for the night.

A Lifelong Journey Devoted to Fine Arts and Cultural Renaissance

Born on September one, 1935, in Jashore’s Sreepur, Mustafa Monwar belonged to an illustrious creative lineage, being the son of the renowned nationalist poet Golam Mostafa and Jamila Khatun. After completing his preliminary schooling in Narayanganj, he initially pursued science at Scottish Church College in Kolkata before discovering his true calling at the Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata, where he graduated at the absolute top of his class in Fine Arts in 1959.

He began his professional life as a lecturer at the East Pakistan College of Arts and Crafts (now the Faculty of Fine Art, Dhaka University). Over his long, distinguished career, he served with immense distinction as the Deputy Director General of Bangladesh Television (BTV), Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Director General of the National Media Institute, and Managing Director of the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC).

Elevating Puppetry and Children's Television to New Heights

Mustafa Monwar's most enduring legacy lies in his revolutionary work with puppet theater, elevating traditional art forms into a highly sophisticated medium for educational and social development. He founded the Educational Puppet Development Center and spent decades popularizing puppetry across urban and rural landscapes. His profound creative genius was also instrumental in designing and producing BTV's historically celebrated children’s talent hunt program, Natun Kuri.

Beyond his artistic pursuits, Monwar was an active cultural activist during critical national milestones, lending his creative voice from the historic Language Movement to the War of Liberation in 1971. In recognition of his unparalleled lifetime contributions to fine arts, the State honored him with the prestigious Ekushey Padak in 2004, followed by the Sultan Gold Medal in 2018.

Final Journey and State Funeral Schedule Announced

According to veteran painter Moniruzzaman, the formal state funeral and memorial services for the revered cultural icon will commence tomorrow morning, Tuesday, before he is permanently laid to rest at the Banani Graveyard.

The formal funeral itinerary has been structured to allow institutional colleagues, students, and citizens from all walks of life to bid their final farewell:

At nine AM on Tuesday morning, Mustafa Monwar’s body will first be transported to the Bangladesh Television (BTV) premises, where his first funeral prayers (Janaza) will be held. Following the service, the body will be moved to the Central Shaheed Minar, remaining there from ten-thirty AM to twelve-thirty PM so the public can offer state tributes. From the Shaheed Minar, the cortege will proceed to the Central Mosque of Dhaka University for a second funeral prayer service. Immediately after, the body will be taken to the Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University for thirty minutes, giving colleagues and generations of students a final opportunity to honor their beloved veteran teacher before the ultimate burial at Banani Graveyard in the afternoon.

In separate messages today, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon expressed deep shock and condensed sorrow at his demise. The Prime Minister stated that Mustafa Monwar's passing creates an irreparable vacuum in the nation's creative sphere, asserting that the citizens of Bangladesh will always remember his pioneering works and ideals with the highest level of profound respect.