Cultural activists, politicians, academics, professionals and people from all walks of life on Saturday paid their last respects to language movement veteran, eminent poet, essayist and Rabindra researcher Ahmed Rafiq at Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka.
Ahmed Rafiq passed away at BIRDEM Hospital in Dhaka on Thursday night from old-age complications at the age of 96.
Ahmed Rafiq Foundation kept his body at Central Shaheed Minar from about 11:00am for one and a half hours when people gathered to pay their last respects聽 placing wreaths on his body.
Left Democratic Alliance, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Revolutionary Workers Party, Workers Party, Ganosamhati Andolan and Jatiya Mukti Council and several other political parties, among others, paid respects to the author.
Along with the ministry of cultural affairs, different educational, cultural and professional organisations, including Dhaka University, Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi, Chhayanaut, Khelaghor, Bibartan Sangskritik Kendra, Bangladesh Lekhak Shibir, Shilpi Kalyan Trust and Liberation War Museum, also paid their last respects to Ahmed Rafiq at Central Shaheed Minar.
Dhaka University professor emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury, Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, Dhaka University Bangla department chairman Professor Bhishmadeb Chowdhury and writer-researcher Mofidul Haque, among others, also paid homage to Ahmed Rafiq.
Professor Bhishmadeb Chowdhury said that Ahmed Rafiq did not believe in personal property and almost all his property he donated in different universities and organisations.聽
Ahmed Rafiq Foundation president Munir Siraj stressed initiatives for preserving the author-researcher鈥檚 works for future generation, calling on the government to take measures in this regard.聽
After the ceremony, a mourning procession carried his coffin to Ibrahim Medical College in Segunbagicha and handed over his body to the anatomy department as Ahmed Rafiq had donated his body to the institution.
Born on September 12, 1929 in Shahbazpur under Brahmanbaria district, Rafiq was a prominent figure in the historic 1952 Language Movement.
His literary works include Nirbasita Nayak, Shilpa Sangskriti Jiban, Nazrul Kabye Jibansadhana, Arek Kalantare and Nirbachita Rabindranath.
The revered author received Ekushey Padak and Bangla Academy Literary Award, among several other awards.
