is the only jatra artiste in the country to have received an award at national level. The architect of a new trend in Bangladesh's jatra pala, Amalendu Biswas was awarded a posthumous Ekushey Padak in 1989. He dedicated his life for the development of jatra pala and successfully popularised the art form amongst the urban people.

Born in 1925 in Yangon, Amalendu, started his career at the British Royal Airforce. However, his passion for the performing arts led him to leave the service during the World War II. Subsequently, leaving the job he formed a jatra troupe.

During the 1960s he got immense popularity for his unique performance in jatra-pala and thus gained the title of Jatra Samrat. Hitler, Janoar, Sirajuddaulah and others are his popular jatra-pala in those days. To deliver the message of freedom among the people during our Liberation War, he regularly staged Ekti Paisa pala, a jatra based on the Awami League's six-point demand. Later, he joined Bangladesh Mukti Shongram Shohayak Samity, a Kolkata- based organision that has greatly contributed to our Independence. During his stay in Kolkata, he had also performed as the protagonist of few jatra-pala as a regular member of Nottocompany, the most popular jatra troupe of Kolkata.

For his wonderful performance as the protagonist in the pala titled Michel Modhushudan, he got the Sequence of Merit Award provided by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 1980. In 1987, this great artiste passed away.