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Published : 07 Sep 2025, 11:18 AM
Badruddin Umar, a prolific writer, researcher and prominent leftist intellectual, has died at the age of 93.
He passed away at 10:05am on Sunday at Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in Dhaka after a long struggle with age-related complications, according to his organisation, the Jatiya Mukti Council.
“His health had already been fragile. On Sunday morning, as his condition worsened, he was taken to hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” said Faizul Hakim, the council’s secretary.
Badruddin had been admitted to the hospital earlier in July with breathing difficulties and high blood pressure. Though he recovered briefly and returned home, his condition declined again in recent days.
He will be laid to rest on Monday at the Jurain graveyard, where his parents and aunt are also buried, said Faizul.
Before that, at 10am, his remains will be taken to the Central Shaheed Minar for people from all walks of life to pay their respects. Following Zuhr prayers, his first funeral prayer will be held at the Central Mosque of Dhaka University.
'A SHINING BEACON'
Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and BNP leader Tarique Rahman led the tributes to the revered political thinker.
In a condolence message, Yunus described Badruddin as “a shining beacon in our struggle for free thought and progress”.
His active role in the Language Movement, his scholarship, his protests against colonial attitudes, and his steadfast commitment to socialist ideals enriched Bangladesh’s intellectual history, according to the head of the interim government.
“He was among the earliest to call for popular uprisings against fascist and authoritarian governments, and he recognised the July Movement as an unprecedented mass revolt in the subcontinent,” Yunus said.
“As president of the Jatiya Mukti Council, Badruddin Umar was not just a theoretician but a fighter who spoke out against injustice all his life.”
Calling his death an “irreparable loss for the nation”, Yunus said his writings and philosophy would serve as a guide for future generations.
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique called Badruddin “a symbol of free conscience in this country”, noting that despite repeated persecution, he never compromised on his ideals.
“Badruddin Umar was never silenced by threats or repression. His uncompromising voice against injustice and tyranny will forever be remembered.”
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also paid tribute, saying Badruddin “lived and wrote in the interests of the people until his last breath” and was “a burning protest against the corruption of politics”.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Born on Dec 20, 1931, in West Bengal's Bardhaman, Badruddin was the son of Abul Hashim, a prominent Muslim nationalist politician in the subcontinent.
His family moved to Dhaka in 1950. By then he had completed higher secondary education at Burdwan Raj College.
In East Pakistan, he enrolled at Dhaka University, graduating in philosophy and completing a Master’s degree in 1955.
He later went to the UK, studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Oxford University.
ACADEMIC AND POLITICAL CAREER
Even before finishing his Master’s degree, Badruddin began teaching part-time in the Philosophy Department at Dhaka University. In 1956, he joined Chittagong Government College as a lecturer, and a year later moved to Rajshahi University.
At Rajshahi, he went on to establish the Department of Sociology.
During the 1960s, his books "Samprodayikata", "Sanskritir Sankat", and "Sanskritik Samprodayikata" became influential works in shaping Bengali nationalism. His outspoken criticism of the Pakistan government deepened during this period.
In 1968, Badruddin resigned from teaching to devote himself fully to politics and writing.
He went on to serve as president of the Bangladesh Krishok Federation and became the central coordinator of the Gonotantrik Biplobi Jote. At one stage, he was also a member of the central committee of the Purbo Banglar Communist Party.
In 2003, Badruddin founded the Jatiya Mukti Council and served as its president until his death.
Earlier this year, the interim government nominated him for the Independence Award, Bangladesh’s highest civilian honour. Badruddin rejected the honour, saying he had never accepted awards from state or private bodies before.
