Staff Reporter:
The 15th death anniversary of eminent nuclear scientist with international repute and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s husband Dr M A Wazed Miah is today. Various programs have taken to observe the day in memory of the eminent scientist of the country.
The nuclear scientist, who had a colorful working life experience, was born on February 16, 1942 in a respectable Muslim family of Laldighee Fatehpur village in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur.
He passed away on May 9, 2009.
He was laid to eternal rest with full state honor at his family graveyard in Laldighee Fatehpur village.
On the occasion of his death anniversary, the Pirganj upazila administration, Awami League (AL) and its associate bodies, Dr Wazed Smriti Sangsad (DWSS), Dr Wazed Foundation, Begum Rokeya University, family of Dr Wazed and other organizations have taken up elaborate programmes in Rangpur city and capital Dhaka.
The observance will begin with placing of wreaths at the grave of Dr Wazed, who was fondly called Sudha Miah, in village Laldighee Fatehpur in the morning followed by offering Fateha, Milad mehfils and distribution of foods to the poor.
Biggyani Wazed Miah Smrity Pathagar will organize a discussion at 3.30pm at Mohammadpur Town Hall in Dhaka today.
Awami League (AL) Presidium Member and Textiles and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak will attend it as chief guest.
Dr Wazed was the youngest among four sons and three daughters of his late father Abdul Quader Miah and late mother Moyzunnesa.
He studied up to class four at the primary school at his native village and then up to class six at a high school in Pirganj town.
He passed matriculation course from Rangpur Zilla School in 1956 in first division with distinctions and then enrolled in Rajshahi Government College from where he passed the Higher Secondary Certificate Examinations brilliantly.
Wazed Miah was admitted to the Department of Physics at Dhaka University in 1958 and secured first class in both B.Sc. (honors) and M.Sc. examinations in 1961 and 1962 respectively.
He joined the then Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission on April 9, 1963 and obtained his diploma from Imperial College of London after completing the ‘Diploma of Imperial College Course’ in 1963-1964.
Wazed Miah returned home in September, 1967 after obtaining his Ph.D. degree in physics from Durham University in the United Kingdom and joined as a Scientific Officer at the Atomic Energy Re-search Centre in Dhaka.
In 1969, Dr. Wazed got the associate-ship of Italy-based International Theoretical Physics Research Cen-tre of Nobel Laureate Professor Dr Salam where he was engaged in a research project.
Later, he was engaged in post-doctoral research on nuclear science from November, 1969 to October, 1970 at Daresbury Laboratory in Washington DC of the USA.
After returning home, he resumed work at the Atomic Energy Research Centre.
Wazed Miah married Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, on November 17, 1967. They have a son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and a daughter, Saima Wazed Putul.
In 1975, Wazed Miah was in the then West Germany to pursue higher training on atomic reactor science. Sheikh Hasina was also with him at that time.
Dr. Wazed also conducted research work at the New Delhi-based laboratory of Indian Atomic Energy Commission from 1975 to 1982.
On return home, the nuclear scientist, who has a colorful working life experience, rejoined the Bangla-desh Atomic Energy Commission and retired as its Chairman in 1999.
Apart from his publications on scientific research and nuclear science, Dr Wazed also authored a number of books on social and political issues, including one on the memories of Bangabandhu.
Dr Wazed was a completely greedless and honest man. He was an amiable person but never compro-mised on anything unjust.
He always maintained a low profile in personal life and led a very simple life.
