Filmmaker Alamgir Kabir's 25th death anniversary

Yesterday marked the 25th death anniversary of renowned filmmaker Alamgir Kabir. On the occasion, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Alamgir Kabir Film Centre, Federation of Film Societies of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Short Film Forum and Bangladesh Documentary Council have jointly organised a three-day programme. The event was inaugurated yesterday at the National Art Plaza Auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Segunbagicha in the city.   

A scene from Kabir' “Shimana Periye”.

The event features discussion, documentary and film screening and a keynote paper presentation. “Pratikuler Jatri”, a documentary on the life and works of the late filmmaker produced by Kawser Chowdhury was also screened at the venue. A number of Kabir's films -- “Surya Kanya”, “Liberation Fighters”, “Ek Sagar Rakter Binimoye” and “Shimana Periye” will also be screened at the venue.
Alamgir was born in Rangamati in 1938. He completed matriculation from Dhaka Collegiate School in 1952 and intermediate from Dhaka College in 1954. After completion of bachelor's degree from the Dhaka University in physics, he went to England to study electrical engineering at Oxford University. It is during this period that he came across the “The Seventh Seal” by Ingmar Bergman. He watched it several times and became attracted to filmmaking. He went to the British Film Institute to complete a number of courses on the history of the film industry, film direction and aesthetics. He also got involved with the Communist Party of England and became a reporter of the Communist Party newspaper, the Daily Worker. Alamgir was the founder of organisations such as East Pakistan House and East Bengal Liberation Front in London and was active in the campaign against racial discrimination.
During the war of independence in 1971, Alamgir joined the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra as the chief of its English section. This period also marked the start of his directorial life with the making of documentaries. After liberation, he started making feature films. He was the coordinator of the film appreciation courses organised by the Film Institute of Bangladesh during 1981-82.
In recognition of his contributions to film industry, Kabir was honoured with Cine Journalists Award, Zahir Raihan Film Award of Uttaran, Syed Mohammad Parvez Award and Shadhinota Puroshkar.
The helmer drowned in the Jamuna at Nagarbari ferry Ghat while returning from Bogra after attending a film seminar on January 20, 1989.