Popular Bangladeshi actor Shanto Khan and his father, Selim Khan, were lynched by a mob in Chandpur on Monday night, amid unrest in the country after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned.
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Reports claim that Selim Khan, the renowned owner of a Bangladeshi production house, was a Sheikh Hasina loyalist. As an expelled member of the Awami League, Sheikh Hasina's party, he faced violence, after she fled the country.
His production house produced many hits in the country such as ‘Tungi Parar Miya Bhai’, ‘Commando’ and others.
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Selim's son Shanto, who also died in the attack, was a budding actor, who debuted in the film 'Prem Chor' in 2019, followed by ‘Piya Re’ in 2021, ‘Bubujaan’ in 2023, and ‘Anto Nagar’ in 2024.
Actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee was appalled at the killings, after having worked on several projects in Bangladesh. Others from the Bengali film fraternity also condemned the lynching of Shanto and his father, though few wished to comment on the situation in Bangladesh.
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Actor Rajatabha Dutta, who worked with Shanto in the Bangladeshi film ‘Bikkhov’ told PTI, “During our shoot in Chandpur for the movie, he personally took care of my needs. He was attentive to my needs even at the hotel. I do not know how or why he had to die at such a young age when his career was looking up.”
{{/usCountry}}Actor Rajatabha Dutta, who worked with Shanto in the Bangladeshi film ‘Bikkhov’ told PTI, “During our shoot in Chandpur for the movie, he personally took care of my needs. He was attentive to my needs even at the hotel. I do not know how or why he had to die at such a young age when his career was looking up.”
{{/usCountry}}However, the actor did not comment on the current situation in Bangladesh as it was an internal matter of the country.
Condolences poured in from the community, with actress Kaushani Mukhopadhyay remembering Shanto Khan for his warm treatment of her while they were shooting ‘Piya Re’ in Bangladesh. “I believe in the triumph of humanity and hope the situation will soon turn normal there,” she said.