Reazuddin Ahmed, an Ekushey Padak winning senior journalist and former president of the Jatiya Press Club, died of Covid-19 at a hospital in the capital on Saturday. He was 77.
Reazuddin Ahmed, also former president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and former editor of the News Today and editor of The Financial Herald, breathed his last at about 1:45 pm at the United Hospital in the capital.
He was admitted to the hospital on December 16 with the Covid-19 infections. Later, he was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital on December 19 as his condition worsened.
He is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter, grandchildren and a host of relatives and well-wishers.
His namaz-e-janaza will be held on the Press Club premises at 11:00 am on today. Later, he will be buried at Banani graveyard in the capital.
Editors’ Council in a statement on Saturday expressed deep shock at the death of the eminent journalist, who was also one of the founding members of the council.
“Reazuddin Ahmed was one of those who played an important role in the progress of freedom of media after the Liberation War,” read the statement.
His valuable experiences and leadership played a key role in the growth of the council, it added.
Meanwhile, president of Jatiya Press Club Farida Yeasmin and general secretary Elias Khan, and president of Dhaka Reporter’s Unity (DRU) Nazrul Islam Mithu and general secretary Nurul Islam Hasib expressed deep shock at the death of the former editor and publisher of the News Today.
Reazuddin Ahmed was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 1993 for his contribution to journalism. He was also awarded the Sher-e-Bangla Padak, the Maulana Akram Khan Gold Medal, the Narsingdi Press Club Padak and the Anti-Drug Federation Gold Medal.
He was born in Narsingdi on November 30 in 1945. He completed his Master’s in Economics from Dhaka University in 1967 and the LLB in 1972.
Reazuddin Ahmed started his career as a journalist in 1969 with Pakistan Observer. He also worked as the editor-in-chief of the Financial Express and the deputy editor of The Daily Star. Before his death, he was the editor and publisher of the Financial Herald, a fledgling newspaper.
The noted journalist was the general secretary and president of Dhaka Union of Journalists and the secretary general and president of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists in 1970s and 80s.
He was the president of the National Press Club from 1995 to 1998 and from 2003 to 2006 for a total of four terms.
Reazuddin Ahmed was also the president of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) and a member of the Dhaka University Senate.
His journalistic career later took a turn to politics. In 2000, he became the information adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.