There was a time when his appearance in Dhallywood films almost always meant an intense showdown between the hero and the villain. Known for his martial arts-based action scenes, the name Ilias Cobra was familiar to cinema audiences across Bangladesh.

But that glamorous chapter of his life is now over. For the past several years, he has been living in his native village of Noakhaliyapara in Baharchhara union of Teknaf upazila in Cox's Bazar.

These days, he spends his time praying at the mosque, farming, looking after his cattle and goat farm, and taking part in community activities. Eleven years ago, local residents honoured him by naming a village market Ilias Cobra Bazar.