Dhaka, June 30 -- Celebrated artist, puppeteer and television pioneer Mustafa Monwar has been laid to rest at Banani Graveyard after thousands of admirers, colleagues and cultural figures paid their final respects.

He was buried at around 3:30pm on Tuesday, his son Sadat Monwar told bdnews24.com.

Earlier in the day, his body was taken to the Channel i premises in Tejgaon, where colleagues and well-wishers paid tribute before his funeral prayers.

His final farewell began in the morning at Bangladesh Television in Rampura, followed by public homage at the Central Shaheed Minar.

Artists, academics, political leaders and representatives of cultural organisations gathered at the Shaheed Minar, where Monwar was accorded a guard of honour be...