Master storyteller falls silent
He chronicled places, time, and people with a sound understanding of human feelings and struggles. With his art of storytelling, he narrated the lives of characters who fight for survival.
All his life, he cared for those people and portrayed them in his work that offered insights into their political, cultural, and social lives and of course history of their land.
Writer Hasan Azizul Huq, one of the most prominent figures of Bengali literature, passed away yesterday.
He was 82.
He breathed his last around 9:00pm at his Rajshahi home, "Ujan", in Bihas residential area near Rajshahi University campus.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound sorrow at the death of Hasan Azizul Haque.
In a condolence message, the president said, "Hasan Azizul Huq's demise was an irreparable loss for the literary arena of the country. His contribution to literature and culture of the country will always be remembered."
In a separate message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
"Hasan Azizul Haque will be remembered for his literary and creativity work," she said.
People of Rajshahi city, especially writers, intellectuals and cultural activists were left grief-stricken; many rushed to the residence of their beloved writer who they always consider a guardian figure.
"His main achievement is that he stayed beside those people who he wrote about," playwright Prof Malay Bhowmick, his former colleague, told this correspondent at "Ujan".
Rajshahi City Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha, RU Vice-Chancellor Golam Sabbir Sattar expressed their shock at the passing of the writer.
Body of Hasan Azizul Huq will be kept at RU Central Shaheed Minar for people to offer their final respect today. After the Zuhr prayers, he will be buried at RU central graveyard.
Hasan left behind a son and three daughters. His wife Shamsun Nahar passed away on February 2, 2013.
On August 21, Hasan fell sick and was taken to Dhaka. He returned to his Rajshahi home on September 9 on doctor's advice.
His son Imtiaz Hasan had then said, "In addition to age-related health issues, he also has heart problems and diabetes."
Returning from Dhaka, Hasan passed some weeks well but then his health started deteriorating.
Born in Jabgram village of Burdwan district of Indian West Bengal on February 2, 1939, he had to migrate to then East Bengal during the partition.
He joined Rajshahi University as a teacher of philosophy in 1973 and retired in 2004. His career in literature started from his student life in the '60s -- the first publication being Samudrer Swapna: Shiter Aranya (1964).
He was awarded with Bangla Academy award in 1970, the most prestigious Ekushey Medal in 1999, and Independence Award in 2019.
Hasan was critically acclaimed for his short stories. Many of his works were translated into English, Hindi, Urdu, Russian and Czech.
Atmoja O Ekti Karabi Gaach, Jibon Ghoshe Agun, Naamhin Gotrahin, Rode Jabo, are some of his greatest works.
His novel Agunpakhi, first published in 2006, was awarded Prothom Alo book of the year prize in 2007 and Ananda Purashkar in 2008.
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