People from all walks of life paid their last respects to Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq, president of Bangla Academy, writer and former professor of the Bangla department at Dhaka University, on Monday.

Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq died on Sunday afternoon. He was 86.

His body was taken to Bangla Academy at 10:30 am, Central Shaheed Minar at 11:00am and on Dhaka University arts faculty premises at 12:00noon.

Following his janaza at the DU Central Mosque after Zuhr prayers, he will be laid to rest at the Martyred Intellectuals Graveyard at Mirpur.

Prime minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq, according to a report by the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

In a message of condolence, he said that the country had lost an eminent educationist and writer at the death of Abul Quasem while his death created a vacuum in the country’s arena of education which would never be filled easily.

He prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed profound sympathy to bereaved family members.

Former interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus expressed deep shock, stating that Professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Huq — one of the most important figures in Bangladesh’s intellectual world — was not merely a writer or a professor, but a thinker dedicated to social progress and the liberation of common people.

Abul Quasem is survived by his wife and a daughter, Professor Shuchita Sharmin. His only son, Faisal Arefin Dipan, the owner of the publishing house Jagriti Prokashoni, was murdered on October 31, 2015, at the Aziz Super Market in the capital.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general and local government, rural development, and co-operatives minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, cultural affairs minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, University Grants Commission of Bangladesh chairman Professor Mamun Ahmed and Dhaka University vice-chancellor Professor ABM Obaidul Islam, among others, also expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq.

Different political and cultural organisations, including Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal and Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi, expressed condolences at his death.

Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq was born on September 30, 1940, at Pakundia in Kishoreganj.

He obtained his honours degree from the University of Dhaka in 1965 and completed his master’s degree there in 1966.

He became the Bangla Academy president on October 28, 2024, for a three-year term.

After completing his studies, he taught at the university’s Bangla department for nearly four decades.

Alongside his teaching career, he edited two weeklies: Shundorom and Lokayat.

He authored over 20 books, including Ekushey Februaryr Andolon, Rajnitir Darshan, Sahitto Chinta, and Sansgkritir Sohoj Kotha, and edited several volumes, such as Itihaser Aloke Bangladesher Sangskriti and Swadesh Chinta.

In recognition of his contributions to Bangla literature, Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq was awarded the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1981 in the essay and research category.