Dhaka, Sep 26 (bdnews24.com)—Journalist Ataus Samad of BBC Bengali fame died at Apollo Hospitals in Dhaka on Wednesday at the age of 74.
He had been suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney problems for a long time.
He will be buried in the Azimpur Graveyard beside his father's grave on Thursday after consecutive namaz-e-janaza at Gulshan's Azad Mosque after Zohr prayers and at the National Press Club, his family said.
Samad's body will be kept at the Club for a cross section of people to pay their last respects.
He had stepped into journalism by with Sachitra Sandhani in the 1950s and went on to work with several newspapers, radio and TV stations.
In 1993, the government conferred on him the 'Ekushey Padak'.
Before his death, he was involved with Bengali daily Amar Desh as its Advisory Editor.
His co-workers said his stint with the BBC during the anti-Ershad movement in the 80s were most significant when his voice would be eagerly awaited. He had to face the wrath of the then government of military dictator Hussein Muhammad Ershad for the stories he filed.
He was taken ill for a long time. On Sunday, he was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals where doctors took off his life support at 9:25pm, his nephew lawyer Anisul Huq told bdnews24.com.
Samad used to write opinion-editorial on political and socio-economic issues in the print and online media until his last days. He was kept in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) under close observation.
He was also a regular contributor to the opinion section of bdnews24.com, Bangladesh's first Internet newspaper.
His left leg was amputated on Tuesday during a surgery. He had undergone another surgery on Monday.
Samad had been unconscious since the first operation, several journalists of Amar Desh told bdnews24.com at the hospital.
He was transfused with 10 bags of blood on Wednesday.
He started his career as a journalist in 1959 after completion of post-graduation from Dhaka University. He had been the Publicity Secretary of the Chhatra Sangsad of Fazlul Haque Hall.
After Sachitra Sandhani, Samad worked in dailies Sangbad and Azad. He had been the Chief Reporter of Pakistan Observer (now defunct Bangladesh Observer) from 1965 to 1969.
He also joined movement to establish journalists' rights. He was elected General Secretary of East Pakistan Union of Journalists in 1969. After independence, he worked with state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) as its Delhi station chief from 1972 to 1976.
He started working for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as Bangladesh correspondent from 1982 to the early '90s.
He published weekly Ekhon after leaving the BBC and started writing columns.
In 2004, he joined Amar Desh. He also worked in private TV channel NTV as its Chief Executive Officer.
He also taught at Dhaka University as a part-time teacher for a long period. Vice Chancellor of the university Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique went to the hospital on Wednesday night on hearing the news of his demise.
Born on Nov 16 1937 in Mymensingh, Samad is survived by a son and two daughters. His wife Kamrunnahar is a former Department of Information official.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Finance Minister AMA Muhith and several other top politicians mourned him.
Press Club General Secretary Syed Abdal Ahmed, Treasurer Badiul Alam and Senior Vice President Qazi Rawnak Hossain, President of a faction of Dhaka Federal Union of Journalists Ruhul Amin Gazi and General Secretary Shawkat Mahmud, Dhaka Union of Journalists President Abdus Shahid and General Secretary Baker Hossain, Dhaka Reporters Unity President Sakhawat Hossain Badsha and General Secretary Sazzad Alam Khan, and Online Journalists Association of Bangladesh Member Secretary Ahasan Lenin also condoled his death.
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