Last respects to journalist Shawkat Jamil

The staff of The Daily Star pay their final tributes to Shawkat Jamil, a photojournalist of the newspaper, at its office yesterday. In honour of a co-worker, photojournalists of different newspapers placed their cameras round the coffin at Jatiya Press Club.Photo: STAR

Journalists, politicians and socio-cultural activists yesterday paid their last respects to senior photojournalist of The Daily Star Shawkat Jamil.
They flocked in hundreds to Jamil's residence at Segunbagicha, Jatiya Press Club, his workplace--The Daily Star office-- and the corporate headquarters of Opsonin Group at Eskaton to show respect to him.
One of the talented photojournalists of the country, Shawkat Jamil left behind his wife Syeda Khanam and only son Behag and a host of relatives to mourn his death.
Jamil, son of martyred freedom fighter Abdul Latif Khan, was the third among five brothers and two sisters.
The Daily Star deeply mourns his untimely demise.
He will be buried next to the grave of his mother at Barisal Muslim Graveyard after namaz-e-janaza at Ebadullah Jame Masjid in Barisal city at 11:00am today, reports our Barisal correspondent.
In a message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed deep shock at the death of Shawkat Jamil. Recalling his contribution to the media, she prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and expressed her deep sympathy with his bereaved family members.
Jamil went to Elephant Road at 10:00am yesterday to cover a fire incident. Feeling chest pains, he went to the Jatiya Press Club to rest for a while.
As the pain continued, he returned to his residence at Segunbagicha around 12:30pm. At home, he collapsed on the floor, which caused a slight injury to his head. He was rushed to the city's Birdem Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
A doctor at Birdem said the exact reason of the death of Jamil could not be known as he had died before arrival at the hospital. Hearing of his condition from his family members, the doctor suspected that cardiac arrest or brain hemorrhage might have caused the death.
From the hospital, Shawkat Jamil's body was taken to his brother's office at Opsonin Group in Estakon, where his first namaz-e-janaza was held. Then, his corpse was taken to The Daily Star Centre premises at 3:30pm for a second namaz-e-janaza. Jamil's colleagues placed wreaths at his coffin and prayed for his departed soul.
His third namaz-e-janaza was held at Jatiya Press Club after Asr prayers. Awami League leader Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, BNP leader Moazzem Hossain Alal, cultural activist Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu as well as different journalist and socio-cultural organisations paid their last respects to Shawkat Jamil at the Press Club.
All photojournalists left their cameras for a minute to pay their respects to their colleague.
The body was taken to his ancestral house on Katputty Road in Barisal from his Dhaka residence.
CAREER AS A JOURNALIST
After graduating in economics at Dhaka University, Jamil completed a diploma course on photojournalism at the International Institute of Journalism in Budapest, Hungary, and did a basic photography course in Begart Institute in Dhaka.
Despite his graduation in economics, he entered journalism out of his passion for the profession and sharing in the people's struggle for democracy. He joined the daily Sangbad in 1982 as a staff reporter.
In 1985, Shawkat Jamil joined the daily Khabor as a staff photographer and worked there for over six years. He also worked as a stringer photojournalist of the AFP from 2000 to 2003.
In 1991, he again joined the daily Sangbad and worked there until joining The Daily Star in 2005.
CONDOLENCES
Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Secretary General Abdul Jalil Bhuyian and Dhaka Union of Journalists President Omar Faruk, Jatiya Press Club President Kamal Uddin Sabuj and General Secretary Syed Abdal Ahmed condoled the death of Jamil.
“Shawkat Jamil's death is an irreparable loss. He was a bright personality in Bangladesh's photography,” said a statement of the Committee for Documentation on Architectural Sites in Dhaka.
Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), Nagorik Sanghati, Bangladesh Chhatra League and Naripokkho also condoled his death.