Actor Somu Chowdhury handed over to family

Renowned actor Somu Chowdhury has returned to his family after spending time at Shah Miskin shrine in Gaffargaon. Police handed him over to his relatives at Thursday night at around 3:20 am following widespread concern sparked by photos of him resting under a tree near the shrine that circulated on social media.

Ferdous Alam, Officer-in-Charge of Pagla Police Station, confirmed that Somu Chowdhury was handed over to his cousin, Apu Chowdhury, at approximately 3:20 AM. Members of the Actors’ Guild were present during the handover. According to the OC, Somu had previously visited the shrine several times but was not recognized by locals. This time, he had come to spend some solitary time at the shrine.

Somu arrived at the shrine located in Mashakhali Union on Wednesday night, traveling from Dhaka by motorcycle. On Thursday afternoon, locals saw him lying beneath a tree near the shrine. A resident, Al Mamun Hridoy, posted a photo of the actor in this state on Facebook, which quickly went viral. Police and local residents expressed concern over Somu’s mental well-being. A large number of people from various walks of life gathered at the site throughout the day. Despite repeated requests from the police, Somu declined to visit the police station.

As the crowd grew in the evening, the military was deployed alongside police to maintain order. Somu stated that he was well and had been meditating at the shrine throughout the night.

Later that night, Gaffargaon Upazila Nirbahi Officer N M Abdullah-Al-Mamun met with Somu Chowdhury and confirmed that the actor was in good health following a medical examination conducted by the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Mohammad Jamal Uddin. Somu explained that he was a devotee of the shrine and chose to remain there due to the significance of the night. The UNO noted that the viral photos had caused unnecessary disturbance.

Somu Chowdhury, aged 62, began his acting career in 1990 through theatre and was affiliated with the cultural organization Udichi for 12 years. He is unmarried and resides in Jessore, where only his mother remains among his immediate family.