Condolences pour in for Abul Hasnat

Distinguished personalities have expressed deep sorrow at the untimely passing of veteran writer and cultural figure Abul Hasnat.

Hasnat, editor of 'Kali O Kolom', a popular magazine on art, passed away while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the capital. He was 75.

Apart from journalism, Abul Hasnat also wrote fiction and poems and received the Bangla Academy Award in 2013.

Born in 1945, Hasnat was involved with Chhatra Union while studying at Dhaka University. He was the vice-president of Chhatra Union in 1971 and played a role in the

Liberation War while staying in India.

In a condolence message, Prof Ahrar Ahmad, of the Gyantapas Abdur Razzaq Foundation, said, "Hasnat bhai was a gifted writer, a gentle but demanding editor, a loyal and generous friend. While he remained shy and self-effacing throughout his life, he was highly respected for his deep personal convictions, his integrity, and his progressive orientations."

"We all hope that the Bengal Foundation and Kali o Kolom will continue his work in advancing the interest of art, literature and culture, a cause he had served with such singular passion, talent, and acclaim," he added.

Science and Technology minister Architect Yeafesh Osman; Information minister Hasan Mahmud; Pankaj Bhattacharjee and Asadullah Tareq, president and general secretary of Oikkya NAP; also expressed deep condolences in separate messages at his demise.

In his message, Yeafesh Osman said Abul Hasnat has contributed a great deal to the country's literature and culture.

"His death has brought an irreparable loss in the country's cultural and literature arena," the minister said.