Kazi Abu Zafar Siddique no more

Noted poet, elocutionist and former director general of Bangladesh Television (BTV), Kazi Abu Zafar Siddique died at the city's Anwar Khan Modern Hospital on October 15. He was 72. He had been ailing from lung cancer for a few years. He had been kept on life support at the intensive care unit since Sunday. His condition deteriorated when he was given chemotherapy.
He left behind his wife, two sons, one daughter and hosts of relatives and admirers to mourn his death.
Siddiqui was born in 1940 at Bardhaman district, West Bengal. He joined the then Pakistan Television Corporation in the 1970s as associate director. He also served as director of programme and planning, at BTV. He became director general of BTV in 2009. He retired from the post in February 2012.
Siddiqi was a valiant freedom fighter, cultural personality and was involved with cultural and social organisations. Siddiqi was the first winner of the 'Kazi Sabyasachi Award', a recognition for recitation introduced by the Cultural Affairs Ministry, named after the eldest son of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Siddiqui's first namaz-e-janaza was held at East Rampura TV Road Mosque and then his remains were taken to BTV Bhaban in Rampura. After the second namaz-e-janaza at BTV premises, he was buried at Jurain Graveyard in the city.