The body of Ekushey Padak-winning artist, pioneering puppeteer, and cultural icon Mustafa Monwar was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar on Tuesday, where people from all walks of life paid their final respects.
Representatives of various cultural, social, and professional organizations placed floral wreaths in his honor, while artists, writers, theater personalities, cultural activists, admirers, and members of the public gathered to bid farewell to one of the country's most influential cultural figures.
After the public homage, Monwar was accorded a guard of honor and state honors on behalf of the government at around 12:45pm.
His body was then taken to the Central Mosque of the University of Dhaka for his Namaz-e-Janaza. Following additional tributes at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Dhaka and the Channel i premises, he will be laid to rest at Banani Graveyard.
Mustafa Monwar passed away at a hospital in Dhaka on Monday at the age of 90.
He breathed his last at around 8:30am while undergoing treatment for age-related complications, according to his family.
Widely known as the "Puppet Man of Bangladesh," Monwar was a pioneering figure in the country's puppet theater movement and a leading force in children's arts and cultural education.
During the 1971 Liberation War, he organized puppet performances at refugee camps in India's West Bengal to raise awareness about Bangladesh's struggle for independence.
His beloved Bangladesh Television (BTV) puppet show Moner Kotha aired for 12 years and introduced generations of viewers to the folktale Saat Bhai Champa, centered on a young girl named Parul and her seven brothers, who were cursed and transformed into flowers.
