- May 02, 2026
Staff Reporter | PNN:
The mysterious death of Bangladeshi film icon Salman Shah has remained a subject of controversy for over 29 years. Some claim it was suicide, while others allege murder. Recently, in a television interview, the late actor’s former wife, Samira Haque, stated that Salman was mentally “suicidal-prone.”
Salman Shah, whose real name was Shahriar Chowdhury Emon, married Samira Haque—the daughter of former national cricket captain Shafiqul Haque Hira—in 1992 when he was only 21 years old. At that time, Samira was involved in the beauty parlor business and had also contributed to costume planning for two of Salman’s films. Salman often sought her advice on style and fashion for his movies.
In a September 19, 2023 interview on Channel TwentyFour, Samira Haque stated clearly that Salman had committed suicide and had attempted it three times previously. She said, “There are records of two incidents in Metropolitan Hospital, and a third in another hospital. All of this happened before our marriage. Once after an argument with his mother, once to persuade me to agree to marriage, and once due to another incident.”
Samira added, “Emon did not want a career in film; he wanted to study. The mental distress he experienced in childhood left a deep impact. Back then, there were no counseling or rehabilitation facilities. After becoming a superstar ‘Salman Shah,’ he could no longer speak about these personal sufferings. Whatever he expressed became news.”
Salman Shah’s mother, Neela Chowdhury, has always claimed that her son was murdered, not a victim of suicide. Meanwhile, Banaj Kumar Majumdar, former head of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), stated that Salman committed suicide and five causes had been identified in their investigation.
By the age of 25, Salman Shah had acted in 27 films, all of which were commercially successful. In the 1990s, he introduced a new wave of romantic heroes in Bangladeshi cinema. Hits included “Keyamot Theke Keyamot,” “Swapner Prithibi,” “Ontore Ontore,” “Bikkhov,” “Chawa Theke Pawa,” and “Prem Juddho.”
On September 6, 1996, Salman Shah’s body was found hanging from a fan in his Iskaton residence in Dhaka. Despite investigations by multiple agencies—including local police, CID, RAB, and PBI—official reports repeatedly concluded the death as suicide. However, investigations were frequently transferred due to objections from the family.
In a recent update, it has been revealed that after 29 years, the court has ordered a murder case over Salman Shah’s death. The order was issued by Dhaka’s 6th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Jannatul Ferdous Ibne Haque. Salman Shah’s mother’s lawyer, Farooq Ahmed, told Prothom Alo that the PBI did not conduct a neutral investigation. Consequently, in 2021, Neela Chowdhury expressed dissatisfaction with the final report. The court accepted this revision request and directed that a murder case be filed.
Salman Shah’s untimely death remains an unforgettable loss for Bangladeshi cinema, and the mystery surrounding it continues to draw public attention.
