Veteran jatra artiste Milon Kanti Dey passes away

Veteran jatra artiste Milon Kanti Dey passes away

Renowned jatra artiste, director and writer Milon Kanti Dey, who acted in more than 150 productions, has died. He breathed his last at his residence in Kalishahar of Patiya upazila in Chattogram on Saturday, February 7, at 3.25pm. He was 78.

Researcher Aminur Rahman Sultan confirmed the death.

According to Sultan, Milon Kanti Dey had been suffering from illness for some time. His condition deteriorated on Saturday morning and he later died at home. Funeral arrangements will be decided by the family.

His death has cast a pall of grief over the country’s cultural community. Colleagues, theatre personalities and cultural activists are remembering his pioneering contributions to jatra.

Born on September 1, 1948, in Chhanhara village of Patiya upazila, Milon Kanti Dey played a leading role in reforming and modernising Bangladesh’s traditional jatra pala. He worked for years to make jatra theatre more contemporary and served for a long time as president of the Jatra Shilpa Unnayan Parishad.

During his career, he directed more than 120 jatra productions and acted in over 151. He began acting in 1966 and founded Desh Opera in 1993, adding a new dimension to the art form. He also worked as a jatra instructor at several universities.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions, he received the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 2022 and the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Jatra Artiste Award in 2023.

His autobiography Ami Je Ek Jatrawala was published in 2024. In the same year, his selected works were compiled and published as Nirbachita Jatrapala by the Bangla Academy at the Ekushey Book Fair. Another book, A brief history of jatra and celebrated heroines, is awaiting publication by Nabanna Prokashoni. Days before his death, sharing the book cover, he wrote that it might be his last book and sought prayers from all.