Tearful farewell: Hundreds gather in rain to honour Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam
His first Namaz-e-Janaza will be held after Zuhr prayers at the Dhaka University Central Mosque. Later, his body will be taken to the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard, where he will be laid to eternal rest following a second Janaza
Hundreds of mourners, including academics, students, and people from all walks of life, drenched in rain, gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar this morning (11 October) to pay their final respects to eminent scholar, fiction writer, essayist, and educationist Emeritus Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam.
Earlier, his body was brought to Aparajeyo Bangla at Dhaka University around 10:30am, where colleagues, students, and admirers gathered to honour his lifelong contribution to education and literature. It was later taken to the Shaheed Minar for the public to offer their tribute.
Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam's first Namaz-e-Janaza will be held after Zuhr prayers at the Dhaka University Central Mosque. Later, his body will be taken to the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard, where he will be laid to rest following a second Janaza.
Faculty members and students, including Dean of the Faculty of Arts Professor Siddiqur Rahman Khan, Chairman of the Department of English Professor Tazin Aziz Chowdhury, members of the English Alumni Association, and teachers from the music and other departments, placed floral wreaths in his honour.
Among those who paid their respects were Law Adviser Asif Nazrul, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, and Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury, along with a large number of teachers, writers, poets, and journalists.
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Representatives from various state, cultural, and political organisations, including the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh Copyright Office, Department of Archives and Libraries, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Kali O Kalam Publications, Dhaka University's Department of English, Folk and Craft Foundation, BRAC Family, Asiatic Society, Bishwo Shahitto Kendro, Bangladesh National Museum, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Chhayanaut, Nazrul Institute, Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Chhatra Union, and Socialist Students' Front also laid wreaths at the Shaheed Minar.
Speaking at the event, Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury said, "He was a rare human being, humble, cheerful, and deeply committed to his work. We never saw arrogance in him. His writings will continue to guide us; his passing is an immense loss."
Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said, "Everyone loved him, people from all walks of life and of different beliefs. Whatever he said came from his conscience and faith. He was a great writer, an outstanding art critic. It's a great loss that a person like him could not live longer."
Photographer Shahidul Alam, who recently returned home after being released from an Israeli prison, also came to pay his tribute. Arriving at the Shaheed Minar around noon, he recalled his memories with Professor Islam and expressed his deep respect for the late scholar.
Professor Islam passed away yesterday at 5pm while undergoing treatment at Labaid Hospital in the capital.
Born on 18 January 1951 in Sylhet, he completed his early education at Sylhet Government Pilot High School and MC College before earning his bachelor's and master's degrees from Dhaka University and a PhD from Queen's University, Canada, on the Irish poet WB Yeats.
A former professor in Dhaka University's Department of English and later at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), he was appointed professor emeritus in 2023.
Renowned for pioneering a new wave of Bangla fiction where reality and fantasy intertwined, Professor Islam introduced elements of magic realism into everyday life.
For his outstanding contributions to literature, he was honoured with the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1996 and the Ekushey Padak in 2018.
