Manna's death anniversary goes unnoticed

It has been a decade since legendary Bangladeshi actor Manna passed away. He is buried in his family graveyard at Elenga in Kalihati Upazila of Tangail District. Last Monday, on his death anniversary, no ceremony was arranged to commemorate his untimely death, which enraged his fans. 

A few fans were seen visiting Manna's house and praying by his grave. They broke into tears as they grieved Manna's absence. 

Shuvo Ahmed Nadim came to pay his respects by riding a bicycle from Tangail Choranchol. He said: "I grew up watching Manna's films. It breaks my heart today to see his death anniversary going completely unobserved at his own home. Manna's grave should not be enveloped by this agonizing silence."

Another fan, Kamrul Islam said: "There is no one to look after Manna's grave today. I am calling upon all the active cultural organizations in Tangail to do something about it."

The caretaker of Manna's family home Ador Ali said: "His wife and son rarely come here anymore. However, every day fans come to visit Manna's grave from all over the country."

Manna's paternal aunt Chameli Begum said: "Manna's sister Kona is the only sibling he's got left. She came here a few days ago to pray by his grave and feed orphans. Manna's son lives in America and his wife currently works in the aviation industry."

Manna's career kicked off in 1984 when he was discovered by the National Film Development Corporation of Bangladesh. Throughout his glorious career, he had worked in more than three hundred films and became a household name. He received a Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in Bir Soinik.

Aslam Talukder Manna passed away on February 17, 2008 following a heart attack. His death left a huge void in the Dhallywood film industry.