Renowned actor Abdul Kader passd away at a hospital in the capital on Saturday morning.

He breathed his last at around 8:20am at Evercare Hospital, the actor’s daughter-in-law Zahida Islam Jemi said.

Diagnosed with stage IV cancer, Abdul Kader also tested positive for Covid-19 on December 21.

The actor had been feeling unwell for some time and was taken to Chennai for treatment on December 8. He was diagnosed with cancer on December 15. Doctors opined that he was too weak to take chemotherapy.

Later, he returned to Dhaka from Chennai’s Christian Medical Hospital on December 20 and got admitted to Evercare Hospital.

His body will be kept at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) from 3:00pm to 4:00pm where people from all walks of life will pay homage to the veteran actor.

Later, he will be buried at Banani Graveyard in Dhaka.

Born in 1951 at the Sonarang village of Tongibari Upazila in Munshiganj, Abdul Kader obtained his Honours and Master’s from the Department of Economics at Dhaka University.

He was the drama secretary of Hazi Muhammad Mohsin Hall Student’s Association at Dhaka University.

Kader started his acting career by playing the role of Amal in a drama “Dakghar” written by Rabindranath Tagore. He started acting in television dramas in 1972.

Abdul Kader is best known for playing “Bodi” in Humayun Ahmed’s iconic drama series “Kothao Keu Nei” and “Dulabhai” in Humayun Ahmed’s another popular drama “Nakshatrer Raat.”

As a comedic actor, Kader had been regularly active in television since the 90s’ and also had been a regular cast as

“Mama” on the “Mama-Vagne” segment alongside actor Afzal Sharif on Hanif Sanket’s “Ityadi,” the most popular magazine show in the country.

Kader was also a prominent actor and executive member of drama troupe Theatre.

Besides acting, Abdul Kader also worked for Bata Shoes for many years in the eighties.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock at his death.