Artist Aminul Islam buried

The 80-year-old, who received Bangladesh's highest civilian award, died in his Gulshan-2 residence around 4:30am Updates 1

Dhaka, July 8 (bdnews24.com)—Celebrated artist Aminul Islam, who died of old age complications in the city early on Friday, has been laid to rest.

The painter was buried at Banani graveyard around 2:30pm on Friday.

Scores attended his namaj-e-janaza on the Dhaka University Central Mosque premises after Juma prayers.

Around 11:20am, his body was kept at the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka University, from where he had graduated. Tributes poured in for from his former colleagues, students and connoisseurs.

Born in Dhaka, the artist was the first batch student of the institute.

The 80-year-old Islam, also a former teacher of the institute, died in his Gulshan-2 residence around 4:30am, his daughter Ratna Maria told bdnews24.com.

Islam was diagnosed with bone cancer last year when he was in Bangkok for treatment. He was admitted to Apollo Hospitals and returned home last week, she added.

After completing his graduation in 1953, Islam had pursued higher studies at the Academy of Fine Arts, Florence, Italy in 1956.

He was honoured in 1988 with the Independence Award, the highest civilian award of the country, the Ekushey Padak in 1981 and some other prestigious awards at home and abroad.

The death of the artist has prompted an outpouring of grief from across the ountry.

Finance minister A M A Muhith, artists Quayim Chowdhury and Monirul Islam, and writers Syed Shamsul Huq and Mofidul Huq were among those who paid tributes to Islam.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina also expressed deep shock at the death of the artist, her press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told bdnews24.com.

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