Veteran theatre personality and cultural activist Ataur Rahman, widely known as Monchosharothi, remains critically ill. According to family sources, the Ekushey Padak and Swadhinata Padak awardee has been on life support for the past 10 days following a fall that led to multiple organ complications.

His daughter, Sharmistha Rahman, confirmed the matter to The Daily Star. She said, “Doctors are not very hopeful at this moment. All we can do now is wait for a miracle from the Almighty. A few days ago, during these 10 days, he showed slight improvement. However, his condition worsened again, and since Sunday, he has been back on ventilation. I request everyone to pray for him.”

Ataur Rahman is regarded as one of the pioneers of Bangladesh’s group theatre movement. He served as the founding general secretary of Nagorik Natya Sampradaya and played a significant role in shaping the country’s modern stage drama culture over several decades.

For his immense contribution to theatre and culture, he was awarded the prestigious Ekushey Padak in 2001. In 2021, he received the country’s highest civilian honour, the Swadhinata Padak.

Throughout his illustrious career, Ataur Rahman directed and adapted numerous notable productions, including Roktokorobi , Waiting for Godot , Shajahan , and Galileo . He also served as secretary general of the Bangladesh Centre of the International Theatre Institute and was a former chairman of the Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation.