Professor Emeritus Dr Najma Chowdhury passes away

Dhaka University Professor Emeritus Najma Chowdhury passed away while undergoing treatment at a Dhaka hospital this morning. She was 79.

She breathed her last around 8:00 am this morning due to old age complications, DU's department of political science Chairman Prof Ferdaus Hossain told The Daily Star.

She left behind two daughters -- Lamiya Chowdhury, and Bushra Hasina Chowdhury, who is a teacher of the International Relations department at DU.

Born on February 26, 1942, in Sylhet, Najma Chowdhury established the Department of Women and Gender Studies at Dhaka University in the year 2000. She was also an adviser of the caretaker government in 1996 and was honoured with the Ekushey Padak in 2008.

Najma Chowdhury, along with Barbara Nelson, edited a book called "Women and Politics Worldwide" which was published by Yale University in 1994. The book achieved a Victoria Schuck Award.

DU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman and departments of political science and women and gender studies expressed deep shock at the death of the Professor.