Abdul Matin shifted to BSMMU

Language Movement veteran Abdul Matin has been shifted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University as his condition deteriorated after a stroke.

The 88-year old was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit on Tuesday morning, Professor Pran Gopal Datta, BSMMU vice-chancellor told bdnews24.com.

Earlier, as his condition deteriorated his family decided to shift him to BSMMU from the ICU of the City Hospital, said the doctor, adding his condition was still critical.

Matin, who lives with his family at Mohammadpur, was first admitted to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases.

The stroke has paralysed his right side and doctors said they detected a blood clot below his brain.

He needed to be operated upon, but his body was not fit to endure the stress, doctors said.

They hoped they could perform an operation within a day or two once his condition improves.

All the medical documents and investigation reports of the veteran’s health will be taken to the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on Tuesday. Doctors there will review them and decide their next move.

BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Pran Gopal Dutta had assured his family members that Matin would be transferred to a better facility if needed.

Matin, a leader of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, was born on Dec 3, 1926 at Dhublia village under Sirajganj’s Chouhali Upazila.

He joined the Dhaka University in 1945.

He is known as ‘Bhasha Matin’ (language warrior Matin) for his role as the convenor of the all-party state language movement committee in 1952.

The veteran played an active role in forming the Chhatra Union after the Language Movement and became its president subsequently. He then got involved in the communist movement.

Matin was appointed the secretary of the Communist Party’s Pabna district unit in 1954, but joined Maulana Bhasani’s NAP three years later.

He formed the ‘East Pakistan Communist Party’ a year later.

In 1992, he took an active part in forming the Workers Party of Bangladesh. He, however, resigned from the party in 2006.

He joined Workers Party again three years later, when it was reformed under Haider Akbar Khan Rono. Matin remained with it, although Rono later moved to the Communist Party of Bangladesh.

The veteran has authored several books on the Language Movement.

Of them, ‘Bangali Jatir Utsya Sandhan and Bhasha Andolan’ (in search of the Bengali’s root and the Language Movement), ‘Bhasha Andolan Ki Ebong Keno’ (what is Language Movement and why it took place), and ‘Bhasha Andolaner Itihash’ (the history of Language Movement) are well known.