Renowned Bangladeshi artist and puppeteer Mustafa Monwar dies at 90

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Renowned Bangladeshi artist and puppeteer Mustafa Monwar, widely celebrated as the nation’s “Puppetman,” passed away on Monday morning at a private hospital in Dhaka. He was 90 years old.

According to hospital officials at Square Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment, Monwar died at 8:30 a.m. He had been admitted to the facility on October 14, suffering from complications related to pneumonia, prostate cancer, and age-related infirmities.

Born on September 1, 1935, to the poet Golam Mostafa, Monwar emerged as a central figure in Bangladesh’s cultural landscape. His career spanned decades, during which he held key leadership roles at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the Bangladesh Television (BTV), and the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation. In 2004, his contributions to the arts were honored with the prestigious Ekushey Padak.

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Monwar’s influence on the country’s youth culture was profound. He was the mastermind behind *Notun Kuri*, a landmark television program that served as a platform for generations of children to develop their talents. Beyond his administrative work, he was instrumental in the creation of beloved characters like “Parul” and played a pivotal role in the development of the widely recognized educational cartoon series *Meena*. Furthermore, he was one of the architects behind the iconic design of the Central Shaheed Minar, the symbol of the Language Movement.

A man of deep political and social consciousness, Monwar was imprisoned during his youth for his involvement in the 1952 Language Movement. During the 1971 Liberation War, his experiences in refugee camps deeply moved him, leading him to utilize puppetry as a tool to bring comfort and joy to displaced children. Following independence, he transformed the medium, elevating puppetry to a sophisticated art form in Bangladesh.