Entertainment Desk:

The day was Friday, exactly 30 years ago on 6 September, 1996. On that autumn morning, Salman Shah’s death left a deep void in the Dhallywood film industry. His family name was Shahid Chowdhury Mohammad Shahriar Emon. He was born on 9 September, 1971, in Zakiganj upazila of Sylhet. His father was Komor Uddin Chowdhury and his mother Neela Chowdhury. Salman was the eldest son of the family.

He arrived in 1971, departed in 1996, at just 25. It was a short life. Why did he leave so young? Why did he have to die? Three decades later, those questions remain unanswered. The case is still before the court.

What exactly happened that day remains shrouded in mystery. However, the events of that day have been described at various times in the accounts of his close relatives. At the time, actor Salman Shah lived in a flat at Eskaton Plaza on New Eskaton Road in Dhaka. At around 7am that day, his father went to the Eskaton residence to meet his son Shahriar Chowdhury Emon. But he returned without seeing him.

In an interview with the BBC, Salman Shah’s mother, Neela Chowdhury, described what happened that morning. She said the security guard downstairs initially refused to let Salman’s father go up to the flat.

Neela Chowdhury’s description was as follows: “He said, ‘Sir, you cannot go upstairs now. There is some problem. I must ask Madam (Salman Shah’s wife) first.’ At one point, he (Salman Shah’s father) went upstairs forcefully. After ringing the doorbell, Samira (Salman Shah’s wife) opened the door. He told Samira, ‘I have some work with Emon (Salman Shah’s nickname). I need his signature on income tax papers. Call him.’ Samira replied, ‘He is asleep.’ Then he said, ‘Fine, I will go to the bedroom and get his signature.’ But she did not let him go in. My husband sat there for about an hour and a half.”

Around 11:00 AM, a phone call came to Neela Chowdhury’s home. She was told that if she wanted to see Salman, she had to go immediately.

Upon receiving the call, Neela Chowdhury quickly rushed to her son’s flat. At Salman’s Eskaton residence, Neela Chowdhury found her son lying on the bed.

File Photo

Regarding this, she said, “On the bed, his feet were where his head should be, and his head was where his feet should be. Nearby, Samira’s relative had a beauty parlour. Some girls from that parlour were rubbing mustard oil on Emon’s hands and feet. I thought he had fainted. But I noticed that my son’s fingernails and toenails were blue. Then I told my husband, ‘Our son is dying.'”

Salman Shah was rushed to Holy Family Hospital from his Eskaton residence, where doctors declared him dead. Afterward, an autopsy conducted at Dhaka Medical College Hospital concluded that Salman Shah committed suicide.

However, the matter is still under trial. Since the exact cause of Salman’s death remains unresolved, it continues to raise many questions among his fans.

The family has always claimed that Salman Shah was murdered. Neela Chowdhury alleged that when they went to file a murder case, the police recorded it as an unnatural death case. The police said that if the investigation of the unnatural death case revealed it to be a murder, it would automatically turn into a murder case.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE PREVIOUS DAY, THURSDAY

On the evening of 5 September, Salman Shah went to FDC to dub for the movie Prem Piyasi. The film’s lead actress, Shabnur, was already present there for the dubbing.

Shortly after arriving at FDC, Salman called his father. He asked him to bring his wife, Samira, to the FDC Sound Complex. Upon receiving the call, Salman’s father came to FDC with Samira. Arriving at the Sound Complex with her father-in-law, Samira found Salman and Shabnur sharing lighthearted moments in the dubbing room.

According to several entertainment magazines of that time and books on Salman, Samira became angry upon seeing Salman and Shabnur together. After Salman’s father left, Samira also quickly got into the car. Realising that the situation was getting complicated, Salman Shah and film director Badal Khandakar got into the same car. However, Samira did not speak to Salman in the car, and Badal Khandakar tried to assuage her anger.

When the car reached the FDC gate, Salman got down in front of the main gate. Badal Khandakar also got down with him. They chatted there for a while. Though they returned to the dubbing room, no dubbing took place that day.

Later, around 11:00 PM, Badal Khandakar dropped Salman off at Flat B-11 of Eskaton Plaza on New Eskaton Road and said goodbye. Newspapers of that time published various accounts regarding what happened after he returned home. However, those accounts are not based on eyewitness testimonies.

In an interview with Prothom Alo, film director Badal Khandakar stated that he went to Salman’s house the next morning. He told Prothom Alo that when he went there in the morning to get the shooting schedule, the security guards downstairs were talking among themselves that Salman had died by hanging himself during the night.

Film director Shah Alam said that Salman Shah was under immense mental pressure toward the end. Relations with his family members had become strained, and there was a lack of understanding with producers. He was even banned by the association for some time.

Today is 6 September. The man who ruled Dhaka cinema 30 years ago is now gone.

However, he will live on through his popular movies like Keyamat Theke Keyamat, Tumi Amar, Antore Antore, Bikkhobh, Prem Juddho, Denmohor, Shopner Thikana, Anjuman, Bichar Hobe, Ei Ghor Ei Songshar, Shopner Prithibi, Shotyer Mrittu Nei, Jibon Sangsar, Mayer Odhikar, Chawa Theke Pawa and Anondo Osru. He continues to live in the hearts of his fans.