Staff Reporter:
Language Movement hero Prof Abdul Gafur died at a hospital in the capital on Friday. He was 95.
Abdul Gafur, also a veteran journalist, breathed his last at 2:43pm at Asgar Ali Hospital while undergoing treatment, his son Tarikh Al Banna said.
He was admitted to the hospital on Thursday after suffering from a heart attack.
The Language Movement veteran left behind three sons, three daughters, and a host of relatives and admirers to mourn his death.
Prof Abdul Gafur is to be buried at Martyred Intellectuals’ Graveyard in Mirpur after a namaz-e-janaza at the Jatiya Press Club around 8pm, said Tarikh.
As a member of the Tamaddun Majlish, Abdul Gafur was involved in the movement demanding Bengali as the national language on 21 February 1952. During the Language Movement, he was the editor of the “Sainik” newspaper.
After obtaining his master’s degree from Dhaka University in 1962, Abdul Gafur initially worked in government service for a while.
He subsequently dedicated 17 years to teaching at Abu Jar Gifari in Dhaka and Rajendra College in Faridpur. Besides, he served as the director of publications at the Islamic Foundation and as the superintendent of Darul Ulum.
Abdul Gafur also worked in the Daily Millat, Daily Azad, Daily Desh, Daily Inqilab, Daily Najat, and the Daily People.
Leaders from various organisations, including the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), expressed deep sorrow at the death of Abdul Gafur and prayed for the salvation of his departed soul.
