Aly Zaker receives lifetime achievement award

Aly Zaker along with Rezwana Choudhury Bannya and Anjan Chowdhury poses with the lifetime achievement award of `Meril-Prothom Alo Puroshkar 2018` at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on 26 April, 2019. Photo: Abdus Salam
Aly Zaker along with Rezwana Choudhury Bannya and Anjan Chowdhury poses with the lifetime achievement award of `Meril-Prothom Alo Puroshkar 2018` at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on 26 April, 2019. Photo: Abdus Salam

Aly Zaker, often described as an actor par excellence, received this year's lifetime achievement award at the star-studded 'Meril-Prothom Alo Puroshkar 2018' on Friday.

Renowned Rabindra Sangeet singer Rezwana Choudhury Bannya along with Anjan Chowdhury, managing director of Square Toiletries, was on the stage to honour Aly Zaker with the award.

A brief documentary on the life and works of Aly Zaker was screened before presenting the award.

Receiving the honour Aly Zaker said, "Any award inspires to move forward towards a greater life. I'll try to defend the honour of this award until the last moment of my life."  

Aly Zaker has made his own place in all three formats of acting -- stage, small screen and silver screen -- through playing diverse range of roles.

He was an artiste of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the liberation war of 1971.  

After the independence, Aly Zaker joined theatre troupe ‘Aranyak Natyadal’ in 1972 and acted at Munier Chowdhury’s play ‘Kabar’.  Later, he joined Nagorik Natya Sampradaya and currently serving as president of the troupe. 

He received the country’s second highest civilian award Ekushey Padak in 1999. Besides, he bagged Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Award, Bangabandhu Award, Munier Chowdhury Award, Naren Biswas Award and many other accolades in his life.