KG Mustafa passes away
Veteran journalist, Language Movement hero and diplomat KG Mustafa passed away at a hospital in the capital yesterday.
He was 82, and he left behind wife and three sons.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, and Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad in separate messages expressed shock at his death.
Hasina said in the death of Mustafa, the country has lost a progressive journalist.
The language hero breathed his last at around 1:30am at Intensive Care Unit of a local hospital, said doctors.
He had been suffering from various ailments including kidney trouble and bronchial asthma.
Mustafa was admitted to hospital on February 8 and was shifted to ICU on February 16 as his condition worsened. A seven-member medical board was formed for his treatment.
Hospital and family sources said his body will be kept at the hospital mortuary until his son Sabir Mustafa, head of BBC Bangla Service, returns from London today.
Namaz-e-janaza of the renowned journalist will be held at the Jatiya Press Club at 3:00pm today, says a press release.
His body will be taken to the Central Shaheed Minar so that people can pay their last respects.
He will be laid to rest at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard.
KG Mustafa was born in Kuripara of Sirajganj. He began working as a journalist with the daily Azad in Kolkata before partition of the sub-continent.
He also worked with the daily Insaf, Ittefaq, Bangladesh Observer, and Sangbad.
He was editor of the now-defunct daily Muktakantha.
Mustafa also served as an ambassador to Lebanon and Iraq in the 1970s.
He took part in the Language Movement in 1952. In his long career, he received many awards including the prestigious Ekushey Padak.
He was revered for his contribution to the cause of journalists.
He was a close associate of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Both studied in Islamia College in Kolkata.
Different socio-political organisations expressed shock at his death. Leaders of Jatiya Press Club, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Gitikobi Parishad and Bangladesh National Awami Party (Nap-Mozaffar) in separate messages condoled his death and recalled his contribution in different fields.
Comments