Astronomer AR Khan passes away

Renowned astronomer Dr AR Khan, one of the pioneers in the promotion of scientific education in the country, passed away on Monday. He was 84.

Dr AR Khan breathed his last at the Saint Mary hospital in London around 5:00am local time.

Born in 1932 at Bikrampur of then Dhaka, A R Khan completed his masters in physics from Dhaka University in 1955 and started his career in the university. He joined the Cavendish laboratory in the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge in 1960 as a Colombo fellow.

Later, he joined Imperial College of London in 1962 and completed his PHD there. He then became a teacher first in physics department and then at the applied physics department (department of electrical and electronics).

He was also the founder of Bangladesh Astronomical Society.

Dr AR Khan also served the Prothom Alo science festival advisory council as its president.