Dhaka: Drawing the curtain down on an illustrious life, Bangladesh's National Professor, Dr. Anisuzzaman, passed away at the Combined Military Hospital in the capital on Thursday (May 14). He was 83 years old. It was revealed after his death that he was infected with coronavirus.
Dr. Anisuzzaman has been suffering from various diseases including lung infections for a long time. After being treated at the Universal Cardiac Hospital (formerly Ayesha Memorial Hospital) in Mohakhali since April 26, he was taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) on May 9 following the wish of his family.
Akhtaruzzaman, the younger brother of Professor Anisuzzaman, said on Thursday night that he had contracted corona. He said that Anisuzzaman's corona positive report has come.
He was buried next to his father's grave at Azimpur Cemetery on Friday morning. All other formalities have been cancelled. The burial took place around 10 am after namaz-e-janaza and guard of honour by local administration at the graveyard, said the national professor's son, Ananda Zaman, reported The Daily Star.
The burial took place around 10am after namaz-e-janaza and guard of honour by local administration at the graveyard, said the national professor's son, Ananda Zaman.
Akhtaruzzaman said, "We have been informed by CMH a while ago that his report is positive." So "janaza" will be held in accordance with the hygiene rules.
National Professor Anisuzzaman was an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Bangla Language and Literature, Dhaka University. He was one of the country's leading academics, writers and researchers, a language activist, a direct participant in the great Liberation War, a translator of the Constitution and a pioneer of all progressive movements in the country.
This man of conscience of the nation was born on 16 February 1936 in Basirhat under 24 Parganas in West Bengal. His father ATM Moazzem was a famous homeopath. In the mid 1950s Anisuzzaman did his graduation and Masters (first class first). He was awarded the ‘Nilkant Sarkar Gold Medal’ for achieving the highest marks in Honors.
He received his doctorate from the University of Chicago in 1965. He was involved in the language movement, the anti-Rabindra eviction movement, the Rabindra birth centenary movement and the historical non-cooperation movement. He joined the War of Liberation in 1971.
He had actively participated in the people's court formed for the trial of war criminals under the leadership of Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam. In 1985 he joined Dhaka University from Chittagong University.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to Bengali literature, he has been awarded various prizes including Bangla Academy Sahitya Puraskar, Ekushey Padak, Alakta Puraskar, Alaol Sahitya Puraskar and an honorary D-Lit degree from Rabindra Bharati University in West Bengal, India.
Professor Anisuzzaman has received the state award of India 'Padma Bhushan'. In 2015, he was awarded the highest civilian honor, the Swadhinata Puraskar, by the Government of Bangladesh for his contribution to literature. On 19 June 2016, the Bangladesh government appointed him as a national professor.
Image: Creative Commons/Wikipedia
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