Niloufer Manzur, founding head of Sunbeams, dies from COVID-19

Niloufer Manzur, founding head of Sunbeams School, has died in hospital care from the COVID-19 at the age of 74, her family say.

News Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 26 May 2020, 03:12 AM
Updated : 26 May 2020, 02:07 PM

Niloufer passed away at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on early Tuesday.

She left behind her husband, Syed Manzur Elahi, a former caretaker government adviser and chairman of Apex Footwear Ltd, son Syed Nasim Manzur, daughter Munize Manzur, daughter-in-law Dr Samia Huq, six grandchildren, sister Yasmeen Haque and brother Jamshed Chowdhury.

In an emailed statement, Niloufer’s family asked all to “kindly pray for the departed soul”.

She was buried at Banani Graveyard around 11:30am after a private funeral prayer in compliance with all health directives and protocols.

The volunteers of Al-Markazul Islami, who have been performing funeral rituals for COVID-19 victims, assisted in the peocess..

Her son Nasim, among others, was present.

Niloufer was the daughter of late Dr Mafiz Ali Chowdhury, a former minister in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s cabinet in 1972.

Niloufer established Sunbeams in 1974, elevating the school to one of the best English-medium institutions in Bangladesh. She was also involved with a social marketing company.

Sunbeams alumni and a large host of friends, admirers and students in Bangladesh and beyond have expressed condolences on social media over the death of Niloufer, lauding her as a “true nation builder”.