Farewell, Ajoy Roy

Admirers from all walks of life thronged the central Shaheed Minar yesterday to pay their tributes to Professor Ajoy Roy.

His body was kept at the Shaheed Minar from 11:20am to 12:35pm, where people and organisations paid their last respect by placing remembrance wreaths.

Prof Roy, father of slain writer and blogger Avijit Roy, died at Birdem Hospital on Monday at the age of 85.

He was the founding president of Shiksha Andolan Mancha and the chairman of Shampriti Mancha.

He was also editor-in-chief of Muktanwesa magazine, a Bengali publication for promoting freethinking and secular humanism, and an advisory board member of Mukto-Mona, an internet forum of freethinkers.

Prof Roy was awarded the Ekushey Padak, the highest civilian award of Bangladesh, in 2012.

From Shaheed Minar, his body was taken back to Birdem Hospital as he donated his body to the hospital before death, said younger son Anujit Roy.