Eminent academic Syed Manzoorul Islam dies

Eminent academic and writer Syed Manzoorul Islam, emeritus professor of English at the University of Dhaka, has passed away. He was 74.

He breathed his last at 5pm today (10 October), while undergoing treatment at LabAid Hospital in the capital, the hospital's Public Relations Officer Chowdhury Meher-e-Khoda confirmed to The Business Standard.

"Syed Manzoorul Islam was rushed to hospital on 3 October after a heart attack. Doctors immediately began treatment and placed a stent. He had long been suffering from hypertension and kidney complications, and a medical board was overseeing his care," Meher‑e‑Khoda said.

"His condition worsened on 5 October and he was put on life support. Though it was withdrawn on 7 October after some improvement, his health deteriorated again this morning," he added. 

"Despite intensive efforts, he died at 5pm today from heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure and respiratory complications," he further said.

The body of Syed Manzoorul Islam will be kept at BIRDEM mortuary. He will be taken to the Central Shaheed Minar tomorrow at 11am for people to pay their respects. After Zuhr prayers, his namaz‑e‑janaza will be held at the Dhaka University Central Mosque, followed by burial at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard.

A life in letters and learning

Born on 18 January 1951 in Sylhet, Syed Manzoorul Islam was the son of Syed Amirul Islam and Rabeya Khatun. He studied at Sylhet Government Pilot High School and MC College, before completing his BA and MA in English at Dhaka University. He later earned a PhD in 1981 from Queen's University, Canada.

Manzoorul went on to teach at the Department of English, Dhaka University, where he became one of the country's most respected academics. He was eventually named Emeritus Professor, a recognition of his lifelong contribution to education and scholarship.

Literary achievements

Alongside his academic career, Syed Manzoorul Islam was a prolific fiction writer, essayist, and critic. His literary criticism covered figures such as Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Sudhindranath Dutta, Samar Sen, and Shamsur Rahman.

Among his notable works are 'Thaka Na Thakar Golpo', 'Kaanch Vanga Rater Golpo', 'Andhakar o Alo Dekhar Golpo', 'Adhkhana Manushyo', 'Dinratriguli', 'Ajgubi Rat', 'Tin Porber Jibon', and 'Nandantattwa'.

His fiction often explored the intersections of history, politics, and the human condition, earning him a wide readership.

He received the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1996 and the Ekushey Padak in 2018 for his outstanding contributions to Bangla literature.

Cultural leadership

Beyond the classroom and the page, Manzoorul played a vital role in Bangladesh's cultural life. In 2018, he was elected president of PEN Bangladesh, the writers' association that advocates for freedom of expression.

He was also closely associated with publishing and translation initiatives that helped bring Bangladeshi literature to international audiences.