'I’m owed Tk 34 lakh': Dolly Zahur on industry neglect and disrespect

Veteran actor Dolly Zahur, a beloved figure for mostly playing motherly roles across theatre, television, and film, has revealed that she left the film industry over a decade ago with Tk 34 lakh in unpaid dues—an experience she says continues to haunt her.
In a candid conversation with journalists at her home in Uttara on July 30, Zahur opened up about the industry's longstanding disregard for actors who play maternal or supporting characters. Despite her national recognition—including multiple National Film Awards—she says she was frequently underpaid, and often not paid at all.

"We who play mothers or aunts in films have never been respected in this industry," Zahur said, her voice steady but laced with frustration. "I played the roles of mothers, earned less, and was often paid late—or not at all. All my life, I've had to hear, 'Do you act for money?' But of course I do. And yet, when I left the film industry in 2011, I walked away with Tk 34 lakh in unpaid dues."
Zahur, now 73, recounted how even during her husband's battle with cancer, she couldn't retrieve the money owed to her by film directors and producers. Despite repeated pleas, her requests were ignored.

"I worked in so many films. Some were released, yet I never received my full payment," she said. "When my husband was ill, I wept and begged one director: 'Please pay me something, I need to take him to Bangkok for treatment.' I handed over the task to someone else to follow up, but even that person disappeared—and I got nothing. In that dark time, not a single penny came from this industry."
Although she refrained from naming anyone, Zahur admitted that many of those who owe her money are now either deceased or too ill to be held accountable. "I've let go of any hope. I never publicly shamed them by taking names, even though I had every right to."

Once a household name, Dolly Zahur is now seen less frequently on screen, appearing only occasionally on television. Her last major screen role was over a decade ago. Reflecting on a career that has shaped Bangladeshi performance arts for generations, she leaves behind not just performances but also a silent ledger of unpaid debts and unacknowledged labour.
Still, she remains one of the most respected performers of her generation—renowned for her roles in classics like "Shonkhonil Karagar" and "Aguner Poroshmoni"—and a symbol of the resilience of women who carried Bangladeshi cinema on their shoulders, often without fair compensation.