Cultural activists, politicians, academics, professionals and people from all walks of life on Saturday paid their last respects to professor emeritus of Dhaka University and writer Syed Manzoorul Islam.
Braving the rain, Jatiya Kabita Parishad kept his body at Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka city from about 11:00am for one and a half hours when people gathered with floral wreaths to pay homage to the deceased professor.
His body was later taken to the Dhaka University central mosque where his namaz-e-janaza was held.
He was buried at the Martyred Intellectuals鈥� Graveyard in Mirpur.
Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Ganosamhati Andolan and Bangladesh Student Union and several other political parties, among others, paid respects to the educationist.
Along with the ministry of cultural affairs, different educational, cultural and professional organisations, including Dhaka University, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Department of Archaeology, Department of Archive, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi, Chhayanaut, and Drik Picture Library, also paid their tributes at Central Shaheed Minar.
Dhaka University professor emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury, law adviser Asif Nazrul, adviser to environment ministry Syeda Rizwana Hasan, writer-researcher Mofidul Haque, artist Manirul Islam, among others, also paid homage to Syed Manzoorul Islam.
Jatiya Kabita Parishad president Mohon Raihan gave a brief sketch of Syed Manzoor鈥檚 life at the gathering of mourners at Shaheed Minar.
Earlier, his body was kept at the base of Aparajeyo Bangla in Dhaka University from about 10:30am for teachers and students, among others, to pay tributes.
Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam passed away at LabAid Hospital at Dhanmondi in city on Friday afternoon at the age of 75.
Born on January 18, 1951 in Sylhet, Syed Manzoor did his bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in English literature at Dhaka University and later completed PhD at Queen鈥檚 University in Canada in 1981.
He retired as a professor from the Dhaka University English department and was appointed a professor emeritus in 2023.
Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam was honoured with numerous accolades, including Ekushey Padak in 2018 and the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1996.
His noted works include Thaka Na Thakar Galpa, Andhakar聽 O Alo Dekhar Galpa, Tin Parber Jiban, and Nandantattwa.