Prof Helaluddin worked for marginalised people
Prof Helaluddin Khan Samsul Arefeen led his entire life for the betterment of marginalised people, students and the nation, speakers said at a memorial discussion at Central Shaheed Minar in the capital yesterday.
Prof Helaluddin of anthropology department of Dhaka University (DU) passed away on December 24 last year in the capital.
Addressing the programme, DU Vice-Chancellor (VC) AAMS Arefin Siddique said, “Dr Helal was an honest, modest and brilliant teacher. He worked for his entire life for the interests of the university, the country and the nation. A teacher like him is very rare in society now.”
Completing his postgraduate education from DU on 1968, Prof Helaluddin started his 43-year-long teaching career at the sociology department of DU in 1971. He started teaching in the anthropology department of the same university from 1997 and retired in 2014.
Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, said, “Prof Arefeen served his whole life for the rights and development of adivasis. His absence is a great loss for the poor, marginalised and adivasi people of Bangladesh.”
“Arefeen's only meditation was study and his only achievement was his beloved students,” said his elder brother Prof Dr Borhan Uddin Khan Jahangir.
Prof Helaluddin's nephew Prof Muntassir Mamoon, Associate Prof Robaet Ferdous of DU and Prof Farhana Begum, among others, also recalled his memories.
Prof Helaluddin's children, Munia Arefeen and Anan Asheq Arefeen, and his family members and well wishers were present at the programme.
Dr Arefeen was born on February 1, 1948 at Gulbahar village of Kachua upazila of Chandpur district.
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