Ekushey Padak-winning actor ATM Shamsuzzaman dies

Ekushey Padak-winning actor ATM Shamsuzzaman breathes his last at his Old Dhaka residence due to long spell of old age complications, said his elder daughter Koyel.

He was 80.

The actor left behind his wife, three daughters and a son.

In November 2019, when the actor, whose career spans for around five decades, was suffering from intestinal obstruction and was hospitalised, said he has not yet delivered his best shot as an actor. “I want to come back to give my best. I hope I’ll recover completely and return to acting.”

The actor was born on 10 September, 1941 at Daulatpur, Noakhali. His ancestral residence is at Borobari, Bholakot in Lakshmipur.

In Dhaka, he lived at Debendra Das Lane. He studied at Pogose School and Collegiate School in Dhaka and at Lokonath High School in Rajshahi.

His father Nuruzzaman was a lawyer who was involved in politics with Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque. His mother was Nurunnesa Begum. He was the eldest among five siblings -- two brothers and three sisters.

Shamsuzzaman began his career in films as an assistant film director in ‘Bishkonnya’ directed by Udayan Chowdhury. He wrote his first script and story for the film ‘Jolchhobi’ which was directed by Narayan Ghosh Mita.

He wrote over a hundred scripts and stories till date. He was highly lauded for his role as a villain in Amjad Hossain’s ‘Nayanmoni’.

In 1987, Shamsuzzaman won Bangladesh National Film Award for the best actor for his role in Kazi Hayat’s ‘Dayee Ke?’ He secured another Bangladesh National Film Award playing the role of a supporting character in Redoan Rony’s ‘Chorabali’.

ATM Shamsuzzaman was also a script writer, story writer and a director. In 2015, he was awarded Ekushey Padak, the second highest civilian award in the country.