The short-lived genius died along with media personality Ashfaque Munier Mishuk (popularly known as Mishuk Munier), film production crews Wasim and Jamal and microbus driver Mostafizur Rahman in a fatal road crash on Dhaka-Aricha highway in Ghior Upazila of Manikganj on August 13, 2011 - while returning from the shooting set of his unfinished film 'Kagojer Phul'.  

Several organizations had been observing this day in remembrance of Tareque and Mishuk with different programmes in the past, which had to put on a halt this year due to the ongoing global pandemic.

However, the day is being observed this year through various programmes adopting the new normalcy of virtual events.

Tareque Masud Memorial Trust and Moviyana Film Society have jointly organised a two-day programme on Wednesday with an online discussion.

Tareque's widow and American-born producer-director Catherine Masud joined the event with film researcher Professor Fahmidul Haq, journalist Asif Munir, filmmaker Proshun Rahman, Moviyana Film Society president Belayet Hossain Mamun and others.

The organizers will continue the two-day programme through arranging a discussion and candle-light vigil in memory of Tareque Masud and Mishuk Munier at TSC of Dhaka University on Thursday evening.

Catherine will also join Bangladesh Legal Aid Services and Trust (BLAST) and Tort Law Project Bangladesh's joint webinar titled 'Accountability for Road Crashes: Compensation under the Road Transport Act 2018' on Thursday at 8 PM which will be broadcasted live from BLAST’s official Facebook page.

Born on December 6, 1956, in Faridpur, Tareque was involved with the film society movement in the late 70s. His maiden film is ‘Adam Surat’, a documentary on the legendary artist SM Sultan which was released in 1989.

His much-acclaimed film 'Matir Moyna' earned the FIPRESCI Prize in 2002 Cannes Film Festival and became Bangladesh's first film to compete for the Academy Award for the best foreign-language film in the same year.

In addition to filmmaking, Tareque was also a pioneer of the independent film movement in Bangladesh. He was a founding member of the Short Film Forum, the leading platform for independent filmmakers. He organised the country’s first International Short and Documentary Film Festival In 1988.

His other major films are ‘Runway’, ‘Ontorjatra’ ‘Muktir Gaan’ and the unfinished  'Kagojer Phul'.