People pay last tributes to Prof Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq

People from all walks of life paid their final respects to the eminent political thinker, writer, researcher, academic and Bangla Academy President Professor Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq on Monday.

His body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka around 11:00am, where people from different walks of life, as well as representatives of various political, social and cultural organisations, paid their respects.

After the homage at the Shaheed Minar, his body is expected to be taken to the Aparajeyo Bangla monument in front of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Dhaka. Tributes will be paid there until 1:00 PM.

Following a second funeral prayer after Zuhr at the university's central mosque, he will be laid to rest at the Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard in Mirpur.

Earlier in the morning, at around 10:30am, his body was taken to Bangla Academy, where Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury paid tribute. Bangla Academy Director General Mohammad Azam, along with officials and employees of the academy, also paid their respects.

Professor Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq died of a sudden cardiac arrest on Sunday. He was 86.

News of his death cast a pall over the country's academic and cultural circles.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expressed deep sorrow over his death. Condolences were also conveyed by former chief adviser of the interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus and BNP Secretary General and Minister of Local Government, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), National Citizen Party (NCP), Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) and Jatiya Kobita Parishad also expressed their grief.

Professor Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq is survived by his wife Farida Pradhan, daughter Suchita Sharmin—the first female vice-chancellor of the University of Barishal, daughter-in-law Raziya Rahman, grandchildren and numerous admirers.

His son, Jagriti Prokashoni publisher Faisal Abedin Deepan, was killed in an attack by extremists at Aziz Super Market in Dhaka on 31 October 2015.