Eminent cultural personality Sanjida Khatun dies at 91
She breathed her last at around 3pm at the ICU of Square Hospital
Sanjida Khatun, eminent cultural personality and president of Chhayanaut, passed away this afternoon (25 March) at a private hospital in Dhaka at the age of 91.
She breathed her last at around 3pm at the ICU of Square Hospital, Chhayanaut authorities confirmed the matter to The Business Standard.
Chhayanaut has expressed deep sorrow at the passing of Sanjida, who was a cultural activist, artist, researcher and scholar.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Sanjida completed her bachelor's in Bengali literature from the University of Dhaka in 1955. She earned her MA degree in Bangla language from Visva Bharati University in 1957. Sanjida joined the faculty of the University of Dhaka to teach Bengali literature.
Sanjida Khatun, a revered figure in Bangladesh's cultural landscape and an esteemed scholar, dedicated her life to shaping and preserving Bengali identity.
Born on 4 April 1933, she was the daughter of Qazi Motahar Hossain, a national professor and the founder of the Statistics Department at Dhaka University.
Sanjida, also a prominent Rabindra Sangeet exponent, was committed to promoting liberal thought, a principle that was evident in both her work and philosophy.
She played a crucial role in establishing the Bangladesh Mukti Sangrami Shilpi Sangstha during the Liberation War of 1971 and co-founded Chhayanaut in the early 1960s. Under her guidance, Chhayanaut flourished into a globally recognised institution for classical music and dance.
In recognition of her contributions, she was honoured with India's Padma Shri award in 2021, one of the country's highest civilian honours.
