Bangladeshi authorities have detained actor Don Haque, known for playing villainous roles in Dhallywood films, in connection with the long-running case over the death of popular actor Salman Shah.
Don was detained at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Sunday and was subsequently handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), according to reports.
Authorities have not yet publicly disclosed the specific grounds for his detention or whether he has been formally arrested in the case.
Attempts to obtain an immediate comment from Kamrul Hasan Talukder, officer-in-charge of the Airport Police Station, were unsuccessful.
Salman Shah’s death remains controversial
Salman Shah, one of Bangladesh’s most popular film stars of the 1990s, died on September 6, 1996, at the age of 24. His death has remained the subject of controversy for decades, with his family maintaining that he was deliberately killed.
After years of uncertainty surrounding the circumstances of his death, Salman Shah’s maternal uncle, Alomgir Kumer Kumer, filed a murder case at Dhaka’s Ramna Police Station.
The case names 11 defendants, including Salman Shah’s former wife Samira Haque and actor Don Haque, according to the information provided by authorities.
The allegations against the defendants have not been established in court.
Family has long alleged murder
Salman Shah’s mother, Neela Chowdhury, has repeatedly alleged that her son was murdered and claimed that when the family initially sought to file a murder case, police recorded the matter as an unnatural-death case instead.
Police had previously maintained that an unnatural-death investigation could be converted into a murder case if evidence emerged indicating that the death was a homicide.
The renewed legal proceedings have brought the long-running controversy back into the spotlight.
A major star of 1990s Bangladeshi cinema
Salman Shah made his film debut in the early 1990s and quickly became one of the country’s most celebrated actors.
During a career lasting only around four years, he appeared in 27 films and developed a large following among Bangladeshi audiences.
His death at the height of his popularity shocked the country’s film industry and fans. Three decades later, questions surrounding the circumstances of his death continue to generate public interest.
The latest detention of Don Haque is expected to form part of the authorities’ renewed investigation into the case. Further details about the allegations, evidence and the legal status of those named in the case are expected as the investigation progresses.
