National Award-winning director Anjan no more

National Film Award-winning director Zahidur Rahim Anjan died on Monday night, February 24. He was 60.

Anjan breathed his last around 8:30pm while undergoing treatment in Bengaluru, India, his younger brother Sazzadur Rahim told the media.

He had been in Bengaluru since January for a liver transplant, which was conducted on February 19.

He succumbed to post-operative complications, his brother said.

His family has been in contact with Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki regarding necessary formalities, which may take two to three days to complete, he informed.

Anjan had been suffering from liver complications for several years and was receiving treatment at Sparsh Hospital in Bengaluru.

Last week, doctors decided on a liver transplant, but his condition deteriorated after the surgery, and he was placed on life support before passing away.

He was the son of Language Movement veteran Mizanur Rahim and the husband of noted writer Shaheen Akhtar.

Anjan made his directorial debut with the film 'Meghmallar' (2014), based on eminent writer Akhtaruzzaman Elias' short story 'Raincoat'. The film earned him the National Film Award for Best Director and Best Dialogue Writer.

His latest project, 'Chander Amaboshya', was completed with government funding. Although initially planned for release last year, it was postponed due to his health and the overall situation in the country; but he had recently released the film's poster and was eager to bring it to audiences soon.

A graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, Anjan was also a faculty member at Stamford University Bangladesh.

An active figure in Bangladesh's film movement, he served as the former president of the Short Film Forum and contributed significantly to the country's independent cinema scene.

His colleagues and admirers in the film industry took to social media to express their grief and share memories, following the news of his demise.

Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, directors Amitabh Reza, Gias Uddin Selim, and Akram Khan are among those who paid tribute to the late filmmaker.