Poet Mohammad Rafiq dies at 80

The award-winning poet was on a trip to his home village in Bagerhat when he fell ill

Poet Mohammad Rafiq, a winner of the Ekushey Padak, has died at the age of 80 after falling ill during a trip to his home village in Bagerhat.

Writer Prashanta Mridha confirmed the news of Rafiq’s death on Sunday night, citing the poet’s son.

Prashanta’s wife Farjana Siddika, head of Bangla department at the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, said Rafiq travelled to Bagerhat with his son three days ago.

He was rushed to a local hospital and then to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital after falling ill.

The poet died while being transferred to Dhaka for advanced medical treatment, said Farjana.

“We are lost for words,” she said.

The couple were students of Jahangirnagar University, where Rafiq taught English literature.

Born in Baitpur of Bagerhat in 1943, Rafiq was the eldest among eight siblings, who include former finance secretary Mohammad Tareque and Professor Mohammad Naser, a former teacher of Rajshahi University’s statistics department.

After passing matriculation in Bagerhat, he completed higher secondary education at Dhaka College. He took a Master’s degree from Dhaka University’s Department of English in 1967 after completing BA.

He was jailed by a tribunal of the Pakistani military for joining the movement against that regime before independence.

During the Liberation War, he took up arms and fought for Bangladesh’s independence. He also worked at Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra.

After independence, he started his career as a college teacher before joining Jahangirnagar University. The poet retired in 2009.

One of his poems, “Khola Kobita”, against military ruler HM Ershad, drew a huge response. His students distributed the poem in leaflets among the people as no publisher could gather the courage to print it.

Rafiq’s first book of poetry, “Boishakhi Purnima”, was published in 1970.

His other notable books include “Dhulor Songsare Ei Mati”, “Kirtinasha”, “Kopila”, “Swadeshi Nishwas Tumimoy”, “Matsyagandha”, “Bishkhali Sondhya”, “Kalapani”, “Nonajhau”, “Troyee”, and “Chirohoriter Upobas”.

Rafiq won the Bangla Academy Award in 1986 and the Ekushey Padak in 2010, among other awards.