Playwright Mannan Hira departs

Dramatist, playwright and former president of Bangladesh Pothnatok Parishad Mannan Hira has passed away.

He breathed his last at 8:30pm on Wednesday at a hospital in the capital, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Public Relations Officer Hasan Mahmud confirmed, reports UNB.

The 64-year-old playwright was rushed to the hospital immediately following a heart attack. He died shortly after being taken there.

Known as one of the most eminent dramatists of Bangladesh’s television and theatre arena, Hira also had made great contributions to the development of Poth Natok (street play) in the country.

He wrote 15 theatre plays including “Laal Jamin,” “Bhager Manush,” and “Moyur Singhasan.” Hira also wrote and directed many street plays, including “Murkho Loker Murkho Kotha.”

He debuted on the silver screen as a director in the government-funded children’s film “Ekattorer Khudiram” in 2014.

Bangla Academy Award winner Hira was also a senior member of Aranyak Natya Dal.