Staff Reporter :
People from all walks of life who gathered on the Central Shaheed Minar premises on Tuesday paid last respect to legendary actor Razzak, popularly known as Nayakraj.
Thousands of people including commoners, young and old were in a long queue stretching from the Central Shaheed Minar to Dhaka Medical College to bid farewell to their beloved actor.
His first Namaj-e-Janaza was held on the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (FDC)premises.
When the vehicle carrying the body reached the FDC around 11:15am, the well-wishers of Razzak, co-workers, artistes, politicians were all there to pay homage to the iconic actor. The country’s film fraternity has also collectively decided to suspend all shooting for the next three days to mourn Nayakraj. Around 12noon, the body was taken to Central Shaheed Minar from the FDC.
Bangladesh Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader led a team of his political party to pay respect to the actor. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu, Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor and a team led by Nazrul Islam Khan representing Bangladesh Nationalist Party also paid respect to Razzak.
Cultural and film organisations and personalities also flocked to the place to place floral wreaths to Razzak’s corpse and to pay their respect. Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh National Museum, Bangladesh Film Directors’ Association, Udichi Shilpigoshthi, Bangladesh Ganasangeet Parishad and many others were among the organisations.
‘Razzak’s contribution to the country’s film industry is immeasurable. Since the late 1960s, Razzak became the face of our industry making it at par with Indian or Pakistani film industries’, said Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor.
Meanwhile, his second Namaj-e-Janaza was held at Gulshan Azad Mosque after Asr prayers, where Nayakraj used to say prayers. He will be buried at Banani Graveyard in Dhaka today (Wednesday) after arrival of Razzak’s second son from abroad, family sources said. Decision on his burial has been changed as his second son Raoshan Hossain Bappy is yet to arrive from Canada, said actor Alamgir on behalf of Razzak’s family. The undisputed emperor of Bangladeshi filmdom, who reigned for decades, passed away at the capital’s United Hospital at 6:15pm on Monday following a heart attack.
