A Majeed Khan, an educationist and founder of IUB, dies

Dr A Majeed Khan, founder president and president emeritus of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), the country’s first private university, has died in hospital care.

In a Facebook post, IUB confirmed that Khan passed away on Wednesday.

Born in Faridpur and educated in Kolkata, London, and Minnesota, Khan was the first PhD recipient in sociology and anthropology from Bangladesh.

He was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the oldest academic and most prestigious honour society for promoting liberal arts and sciences in the United States, and was bestowed a Doctor of Humane Letters, a prominent honorary doctorate for advancing higher education, from Hamline University, St Paul Minnesota.

He held positions as a distinguished visiting professor and senior Fulbright fellow at Hamline University, Minnesota and a resident fellow in the Department of Rural Sociology at the University of Wisconsin. He also taught at universities in Holland, Sweden and Jordan.

Khan was a cabinet minister for education and planning in Bangladesh and served as an ambassador to France, Spain and Morocco and a member of the Executive Board and Permanent Representative to UNESCO.

He was honoured with the Officer de l'ordre des Palmes Academiques by France for his contributions to education, science and culture.

His first namaz-e-janaza will be held at the IUB campus at 3 pm on Thursday. The second funeral session will be held at the Baridhara Jame Mosque and Islamic Centre after the Jummah prayers on Friday.