Veteran journalist and cultural activist Kamal Lohani who had contracted coronavirus died at a hospital in Dhaka on Saturday. He was 86.
He breathed his last at 10:10am while undergoing treatment at the capital’s Sheikh Russel Gastro Liver Institute and Hospital, said his son Sagar Lohani.
Kamal Lohani had been suffering from lung and kidney related complications for long. He also had heart and diabetic problems.
He tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday, news agency BSS quoted his daughter Bannya Lohani as saying.
Kamal Lohani will be laid to rest at his family graveyard at Ullapara in Sirajganj with state honours later on Saturday.
After completing all the rituals in Dhaka, the body would be taken to Ullapara, his son Sagar Lohani told BSS.
“My father will be buried at the family graveyard at Ullapara beside my mother Dipti Lohani’s grave,” said his son.
On June 17, Kamal Lohani was admitted to Health and Hope Hospital after his condition deteriorated.
Later he was shifted to Sheikh Russel Gastro Liver Institute and Hospital where was undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.
Earlier, he was taking treatment at his residence and when his condition deteriorated, he was admitted to the hospital on May 18 before being released on June 2.
Kamal Lohani is survived by a son, two daughters and a host of relatives.
Known as Kamal Lohani, his official name was Abu Nayeem Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Khan Lohani.
Born on June 26, 1934, Kamal Lohani grew up witnessing India's independence movement, the partition and the 1952 Language Movement.
Lohani was the head of news of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.
He got his first job as a journalist in the Daily Millat in 1955. Later in 1962, he joined Chhayanaut Sangeet Vidyatan, a cultural organisation, as its secretary.
Kamal Lohani was also president of Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi, the largest anti-communal, progressive and voluntary organization of Bangladesh.
A recipient of 2015 Ekushey Padak, Kamal Lohani served as the Director General of Shilpakala Academy from April 2009 to April 2011.
Condolences pour in for Kamal Lohani
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the death of eminent journalist and cultural personality Kamal Lohani.
In a condolence message, the President said, "Apart from journalism, Kamal Lohani made great contributions to our great language movement, liberation struggle and the Liberation War."
The country has lost a great journalist and cultural figure at his death and it is an irreparable loss to the cultural arena of the country, he added.
The President also prayed for salvation of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the country lost a progressive personality and a great fighter of secular spirit at the death of journalist, eminent cultural personality and valiant freedom fighter Kamal Lohani.
"We have lost a progressive personality and a great fighter of secular spirit," she said while expressing profound shock and sorrow at the death of Kamal Lohani.
In a condolence message, the Prime Minister said that Kamal Lohani played pioneering role in the Language Movement, and the struggle for independence.
He was the leading personality in establishing ideals of independence, spirit of secularism and flourishing local culture as a man of ideals and talent.
She prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Choudhury, Planning Minister M A Mannan, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Information Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder,Fisheries and Livestock Minister S M Rezaul Karim, Deputy Leader of Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, among others, expressed deep shock at Kamal Lohani's death.
Besides, National Press Club also expressed deep shock at his death.
