Writer Hasan Azizul Huq dies aged 82

Eminent writer Hasan Azizul Huq has died at the age of 82 after suffering from complications of heart and lung for months.

Staff Correspondentand Rajshahi Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 15 Nov 2021, 04:26 PM
Updated : 15 Nov 2021, 07:04 PM

He passed away at his home in Rajshahi around 9pm on Monday, said Professor Malay Kumar Bhowmick, a former colleague of Azizul at Rajshahi University.

President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led tributes and sent condolences to the family of the writer. Hamid described his death as an “irreparable loss” to Bangla literature while Hasina said Hasan Azizul will be remembered forever for his works.

Hasan Azizul was flown from Rajshahi to Dhaka by an air ambulance on Aug 21 and admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

The author had pneumonia along with heart disease, said BSMMU Director Brig Gen Md Nazrul Islam Khan.

Although he had tested negative for COVID-19, the doctors had treated him as a suspected coronavirus patient.

His son Imtiaj Hasan, an associate professor at Rajshahi University’s biochemistry and molecular biology department, earlier said the writer had “overcome” his heart problems, but complications in his lung had been unchanged.

On Monday, Prof Malay said Azizul’s health had slightly improved after treatment in Dhaka but deteriorated following his homecoming. “He was bedridden until the last day of his life.”  

Born at Jabgram village of Burdwan in India’s West Bengal district on Feb 2, 1939, Azizul spent most of his life in Rajshahi.

He retired in 2004 after joining Rajshahi University’s philosophy department as a teacher in 1973. He lived near the campus.

Known as one of the authors who marked the changes in Bangla literature in the 60s, Azizul had worked as the Bangabandhu Chair at Dhaka University.

Winner of the highest civilian awards, Swadhinata Padak and Ekushey Padak, the writer was honoured with Ananda Puroshkar in West Bengal.

Among his works, storybooks ‘Samudrer Swapna Sheeter Aranya, ‘Atmoja O Ekti Karobi Gachh’ and ‘Jibon Ghoshe Agun’, and novels ‘Brittayon’, ‘Agunpakhi’ and ‘Shiuli’ are notable.