Eminent writer, language movement veteran, freedom fighter, and an undaunted voice for the country’s pro-liberation secular force, National Professor Dr Anisuzzaman breathed his last at the age of 83 on Thursday at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka.
He died of old age complications at around 5:00 pm while undergoing treatment at the hospital, CMH sources said.
On April 27, the Dhaka University Professor Emeritus was admitted to Universal Medical College Hospital after he fell seriously ill.
Dr Anisuzzaman was transferred to the CMH on May 9 as his condition was not improving. Apart from heart problems, he had been suffering from kidney and lung complications, and respiratory problems, according to the hospital authority.
President M Abdul Hamid expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of Professor Anisuzzaman.
In a condolence message, he prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also condoled at the demise of Professor Anisuzzaman and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul.
Prof Anisuzzaman, one of the most prolific essayists of the country, was previously hospitalised for one week at the beginning of April.
Anisuzzaman, born on 18 February in 1937, took part in the Language Movement in 1952, participated in Mass Uprising against the then Pakistan government in 1969, and took part in the War of Liberation in 1971.
He also participated in the anti-dictatorship movement against military ruler HM Ershad in 1990. He was inducted as a National Professor by the Government of Bangladesh in 2018.
Anisuzzaman served as a faculty member at the University of Dhaka during 1959–69, 1985–2003, and 2005–08. He also taught Bengali at the University of Chittagong during 1969–85.
He was a visiting fellow at the University of Paris (1994), North Carolina State University (1995), University of Calcutta (2010), and Visva-Bharati of India (2008–09, 2011).
He was also a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Chicago, and a Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellow at the University of London.
He was awarded Ekushey Padak and Swadhinata Padak, the highest state awards given by the government, for his contribution to education.
The Indian government had awarded him Padma Bhusan, the country's third-highest civilian honour, for his distinguished service in fields of Bangla literature and education.
Anisuzzaman was a member of the Planning Commission to the Government of Bangladesh during the War of Liberation of Bangladesh, and a member of the National Education Commission set up by the government after the liberation.
He was responsible for the Bengali language part of the Constitution of Bangladesh adopted in November 1972.
He served as Chairman of the Trustee Board of the Nazrul Institute and has been the president of the Bangla Academy since 2011.
Born in Kolkata, Prof Anisuzzaman and his family shifted to Bangladesh soon after the partition in 1947.