Veteran actor Jamal Uddin Hossain in critical condition, put on ventilator

Jamal Uddin Hossain, 81, a once-busy television and stage actor, had travelled from Atlanta, USA, to visit his son, Tashfin Hossain, at his home in Calgary, Canada.

Last Wednesday, when Jamal Uddin Hossain suddenly felt unwell, his son admitted him to the hospital. After tests and examinations, the doctors informed him that he had a urinary infection.

Last Monday morning, in local Canadian time, it was discovered that he had contracted pneumonia, he was unable to breathe normally. Following this, the doctors decided to put on a ventilator. The actor's son, who is based in Calgary, Canada, conveyed this news to Daily Prothom Alo.

Jamal Uddin Hossain began acting in stage plays in the mid-1970s. A member of the Nagorik Natya Sampradaya, he later worked in television dramas and films. For the past 15 years, he has been mostly sporadic in acting. During this time, he has been travelling back and forth between the United States and Canada.

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Occasionally, when he returned to Bangladesh, Jamal Uddin Hossain would do a bit of acting. However, for the last eight years, he has not acted at all. He does not reside in Bangladesh as he is permanently settled in the United States. The actor's son is a professor in the Finance department at Mount Royal University in Canada, while his daughter lives in the United States with her family.

Jamal Uddin Hossain with his wife Roshan Ara Hossain

"This has happened to my father before as well; this time, a bacteria was found in his body that quickly spread to his lungs, causing pneumonia," told Tashfin to Prothom Alo. "Due to his age and other health conditions, he is unable to fight it. He has become very weak. As his respiratory system has been severely affected, he cannot breathe normally, so he has been put on ventilation."

Tashfin also shared that his father previously suffered two strokes. "Actually, during the worsening Covid period, my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Since then, I've noticed that he has been falling ill every few months," he further mentioned.

From 1975 to 1995, Jamal Uddin Hossain was a member of the Nagorik Natya Sampradaya. In 1997, he founded his own theatre group, Nagorik Nattyangan Ensemble, and has been serving as its general secretary. He was also a presidium member of the Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and the general secretary of the Radio Television Artistes Union. 

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Jamal Uddin Hossain directed several notable stage plays, including "Khachar Bhitor Achin Pakhi", "Raja Rani", "Chand Baniker Pala", "Ami Noi", "Bibi Shaheb", and "Jugolbondi". His wife, actress Rowshan Ara Hossain, is also in poor health.