Eight-time National Film Award-winning music director Alauddin Ali died at a hospital in the capital on Sunday afternoon at the age of 67.

His family members, singer Alif Alauddin (daughter) and guitarist Kazi Faisal Ahmed (son-in-law) confirmed the news on Facebook.

The legendary composer was admitted to a hospital in the capital on Saturday in critical condition due to lung complications and was in life support until his death.

Also read: Award winning music director Alauddin Ali on life support

First diagnosed with cancer in June 2015, he was taken to Thailand for treatment the following month and again back in 2019. He was also treated for pneumonia and other health problems.

Born on December 24, 1952 - Alauddin had directed music for more than 300 films.

He debuted as a music director with the movie Shondhikkhon in 1975.

He won the Bangladesh National Film Award for best music director five times for the films Golapi Ekhon Traine (1978), Sundari (1979), Koshai (1980), Jogajog (1988), and Lakhe Ekta (1990).

He has also won the National Film Award for the best music composer for Laal Doriya (2002) and the best lyrics for Premik (1985).

Bangladeshi screenwriter and filmmaker Monjurul Islam Megh has been included as a member of an international jury of the Roshani International Short Film Festival (RISFF) 2020. 

The festival will be held in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.  

Festival director Tushar Throrat invited Manjurul Islam Megh to join the Roshani International Short Film Festival as an International jury member.

The festival director said that 170 short films from different countries will Competition in the festival. Manjurul Islam Megh has been congratulated by festival organizing authority. He has also published the information through his personal website.

It may be mentioned that Manjurul Islam Megh has participated in several international film festivals as a jury member, delegate and curator.

Monjurul Islam Megh is now busy witrh his upcoming feature film BILDAKINI. This film is story based on Nuruddin Jahangir’s novel of the same name.

National Award winning music director and composer Alauddin Ali has been put on life support in a city hospital.

His daughter Alif Alauddin, a singer and anchor, shared the information in a facebook post on Saturday.

Ali's father, Jadob Ali, was a staff artist of Bangladesh Betar. His uncle, Sadek Ali, and cousins Dhir Ali Miah, Mansur Ali, Yunus Ali and Momotaz Uddin, were music directors and composers in the 1960s. 

Alauddin Ali (born on 24 December 1952) won the Bangladesh National Film Award five times as best music director.

He directed music for more than 300 films.

Bangladesh observes the release of hundreds of new dramas on both television and recently on YouTube during every Eid, however only to cater native Bengali speaking viewers.

But this has been changed for the first time on this year's Eid-Ul-Azha, with the drama 'Bodh'.

Premiered on August 6 at infotainment channel Live Tech on YouTube, the drama, directed by Rafat Mozumder, has already received massive appraisal for adding English subtitle for international viewers.

With an ensemble cast of popular actor Mosharraf Karim, Runa Khan, Tasnuva Tisha and Ashis Khandakar (a scholarship awardee graduate in acting at National School of Drama, Delhi and currently teaching at Alliance Francaise de Dhaka and the State University of Bangladesh) - the drama has created a buzz in social media for taking the necessary step to enthrall the audience around the world.

 "We often fail to present our fantastic creative contents to our non-Bangladeshi friends , just because of the language barriers. They often think that we only create contents that are copied from Bollywon n  od because they do not get the meaning of the dialogues without the subtitles; while the irony is that even the random Indian drama serials have subtitles embedded on television and other platforms. The necessity of subtitle is inevitable if we want to showcase our world-class creations to the rest of the world", actor, presenter and critic Syed Nazmus Sakib spoke to UNB about the necessity of subtitles.

Praising the aforementioned drama, Sakib said that 'Bodh' has propelled a long-needed attempt through adding the subtitles which should be followed by other content creators as well.

Apart from the revolutionary addition, the drama itself has a serious thought-provoking narrative and moral message into it.

Actor Mosharraf Karim, known for his natural comedic acting but often criticized for his stale comedy roles, has also broken the barrier with a serious character in the drama.

Viewers can watch the drama at Live Tech YouTube channel anytime, anywhere - without being a native Bengali speaker.

Thespian couple and Ekushey Padak recipients Ramendu and Ferdousi Majumdar tested positive for COVID-19 back in July, but now are on the road to recovering from the virus.

"My wife (Ferdousi Majumdar) tested positive on July 18. I also tested positive for the virus five days later," Ramendu, President of International Theatre Institute (ITI), told UNB.

Regarding their treatment procedures, Ramendu informed UNB - "We have been in home isolation and consulting our doctor along with following all safety measures at home. We are now feeling well, with mild fever cold that will hopefully be cured in the upcoming days".

"We thank all our fans and well-wishers for keeping us in their prayers and please do not be worried," Ramendu Majumdar told UNB expressing his gratitude on behalf of the couple.

Two of the most respected icons in the theatre and television sphere of Bangladesh, the couple tied their knots in 1970 and known for many of their iconic performances on both stage and television dramas together.