Renowned Bangladeshi actor and founder of the “Nirapad Sarak Chai” (We Demand Safe Roads) movement, Ilias Kanchan, has been suffering from a brain tumor for the past seven months and is currently undergoing treatment in London.
On Wednesday (October 1), at a press conference organized at the National Press Club on the occasion of National Road Safety Day 2025, his son and acting chairman of Nirapad Sarak Chai, Mirajul Moin Joy, disclosed the news. Speaking virtually from Canada, Joy highlighted his father’s condition and sought prayers from the nation.
According to Joy, since the beginning of this year, Ilias Kanchan had been facing several health complications including difficulty in speaking and memory loss. On April 9, he was admitted to Anwar Khan Modern Hospital in Dhaka, where extensive tests revealed a brain tumor. As surgery was deemed risky by the National Institute of Neurosciences, the family decided to take him to London on April 26.
After initial examinations at Harley Street Clinic in London, a surgery was performed on August 5 at Wellington Hospital under the supervision of Professor Demetrius. Doctors later informed that due to the tumor being deeply located in the brain, it could not be removed entirely. Following partial removal, a combination of radiation and chemotherapy was recommended to neutralize the remaining tumor.
His treatment plan includes 30 consecutive sessions of radiation and chemotherapy—five days a week for six weeks. Afterward, he will remain under close observation for four weeks. If his condition stabilizes and doctors approve, he is expected to return home.
Joy added, “My father has been ill for a long time. Though the treatment is difficult and costly, we remain hopeful for his recovery. We ask for the prayers of the people of Bangladesh for his quick healing.”