Language hero Dr Mazharul dies of coronavirus

Ekushey Padak winner language movement hero Professor Dr Mirza Mazharul Islam has passed away.

He breathed his last around 9:00am on Sunday (October 11) while undergoing treatment at Birdem General Hospital.

His nephew Mirza Sanowarul Rana confirmed the news.

He said, “Mirza Mazharul Islam had been suffering from old-age complications for long days.  He was admitted to Birdem Hospital where he found positive for coronavirus. He died of the deadly virus while undergoing treatment in the hospital. He would be buried at the Intellectual Graveyard in Mirpur.”

Dr Mazharul Islam was born at Charan village under Kalihati upazila of Tangail on January 1, 1927. He is a son of Helal Uddin and Chan Khatun couple.

Mazharul Islam passed matriculation with first division from Balla Coronation English High School in 1944. He passed ISC from Kolkata in 1946 while MBBS from Dhaka Medical College.

He achieved masters of FRCS in 1963. Earlier, he started his career at Dhaka Medical College and Hopsital in 1952. Since, he performed various important duties in the hospital.

He is also known as a writer and researcher. At least 50 articles written by him on surgery have gained much popularity at home and abroad. During the language movement in 1948, Mazharul Islam was a student of Dhaka Medical College. He was a doctor of Dhaka Medical College on February 21, 1952.

Dr Mazharul Islam was one of the founders of the first Shaheed Minar. He played an important role in treating the students and people injured on the February 21 shooting. He has also actively participated in various aspects of the language movement.

He was awarded with the Ekushey Padak in 2018 for his special contribution to the country’s language movement.