Tributes pour in for National Professor Salahuddin Ahmed

He inspired many and pleased even more around him with his amicable personality.

Thousands who turned up to pay last respects to National Professor Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday agreed his demise was a great loss for Bangladesh.

The 90-year old historian died at his Banani residence on Sunday.

Hundreds of his students and well-wishers, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Finance Minister AMA Muhith, went to his house to pay homage.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, educationist Dr Serajul Islam, writer Badruddin Omar, former Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali, among others, also turned up to pay last respect.

Born on Sept 24, 1924 in Faridpur, Ahmed did his Bachelor’s and Master’s in History from Calcutta University.

He went on to do another Master’s degree at the Pennsylvania University in the US and PhD at the University of London.

He took to teaching in 1948 at the Jagannath College (now university) in Dhaka. Later, he taught at the Rajshahi, Jahangirnagar, and Dhaka universities.

The national professor and historian was awarded the Ekushey Padak and the Swadhinata Dibash (independence) Award.

President Md Abdul Hamid in a statement said the loss was irreparable.

Hasina said Ahmed was a "wealth of the nation" and that his loss was a huge blow to the country.

Muhith said the national professor, held in huge respect, was a liberal who had a great mind.

"He abhorred superstition and communalism," the minister said. "He dreamt of a non-communal society evident in his writings and life.

"He did not have enemies; he was nice to all."

Muhith recalled the eminent historian's contribution to editing Bangabandhu's unfinished memoirs.

The minister said he had known Ahmed since independence. The national professor's brother Fakhruddin Ahmed, a former foreign secretary, was Muhith's colleague while his other sibling US-resident Mohiuddin Ahmed was close to the minister in his student days.

Professor Anisuzzaman said the renowned historian of the sub-continent was an "extraordinary human being".

He said Salahuddin Ahmed will rest in peace if inspiration could be drawn from his role in establishing democracy in Bangladesh to take it further.

BRAC University's former Vice Chancellor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury described him as an “out-and-out humanist”.

"He always tried to work to make society better..." Chowdhury said.

Former University Grants Commissioner Chairman Prof Nazrul Islam said Prof Ahmed was a "great personality."

Drama persona Pijush Bandapadhyay said Ahmed was among the great talented persons he got in touch with after independence.

"He believed in pure scholasticism," he said. "His absence will be difficult to fill."