Today marks the first death anniversary of the legendary actor Farooque. On this day of remembrance, actress Farida Akhtar Babita shared her memories of the iconic actor. Together, they starred as a duo in nearly 40 films.

Akbar Hossain Pathan Dulu, better known by his stage name Farooque, was a prominent Bangladeshi actor, politician, businessman, and producer. Fondly called 'Mia Bhai' by the masses, he appeared in over 150 films during a career spanning more than five decades.

Reflecting on the past year, Babita said, "How has a year passed without Farooque? It feels like just the other day he left us. I still can't believe that our long-time friend and beloved actor Farooque is no longer in this world."

Their first film together was "Alor Michil", directed by Narayan Ghosh Mita, where Babita had a shorter duration on screen. It was during this shoot that they first met. "As we continued working together, a friendship blossomed between us," she recalled.

After that, they co-starred in nearly 40 films, including "Biraj Bou", "Lathial", "Adorshoban", "Noyonmoni", "Ekhono Onek Raat", "Protigga", "Kotha Dilam", and "Etim".

She further mentioned, "In 1976, 'Noyonmoni' became a classic among patriotic films. Our on-screen partnership in this movie became something special. The film was shown in theatres across the country for months. The love and heartbreak depicted in our films continue to resonate with the audience. People still talk about those movies."

The "Ashani Sanket" actress added, "When Farooque bhai's body arrived in the country, I was on my way to Canada. So, I couldn't see him one last time, which is very painful for me."

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We created magic on screen: Babita mourns the loss of Farooque 

"His heroic persona was exemplary. From the outside, he might have seemed very stern and stubborn, but he was actually a person with a very gentle heart. Recently, I attended the wedding of Farooque Bhai's son, Sharot. Everyone was there except Farooque bhai. Wherever he is, I hope he is well."