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Despite steady rain in the capital, hundreds gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar on Monday to pay their final respects to eminent essayist, researcher, literary critic and social thinker Prof Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq.
From around 11am, political leaders, cultural activists, writers and members of the public placed wreaths on the late scholar’s coffin, which was covered with floral tributes.
Among the organisations paying homage were Udichi Shilpigoshthi, Pragati Lekhak Sangha, Bangladesh Lekhak Shibir, the State Language Bangla Protection Committee, the Bangladesh State Reform Movement, and several other political, cultural and professional bodies.
Tributes were also paid by the Department of Public Libraries, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the Copyright Office, the Shilpi Kallyan Trust, and Bangladesh Open University, alongside leaders of several political parties and civil society organisations.
Speaking after paying tribute, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Director General Rezauddin Stalin described Prof Huq’s death as “a profound loss” to Bangladesh’s intellectual and democratic traditions, praising his lifelong commitment to truth and fearless expression.
Former adviser Sharmin S. Murshid said the country had lost one of its finest public intellectuals, warning that the passing of such scholars leaves a growing void in the nation’s intellectual and moral life.
University of Dhaka teacher and playwright Samina Lutfa remembered Prof Huq as a compassionate mentor who remained steadfast even after the 2015 killing of his only son, publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, by religious extremists. She said his death marked an irreplaceable loss for Bangladesh’s academic community.
