Eminent essayist and educationist Professor Jatin Sarkar is no more.
He breathed his last at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital around 2:45 pm today, Wednesday. Jatin Sarker’s son, Suman Sarker, confirmed the news to Prothom Alo.
Jatin Sarkrr had long been suffering from old-age complications, as well as polyarthritis. He underwent surgery in June. Afterwards, he was taken to his daughter’s home in Mymensingh. As his condition deteriorated there, he was admitted to a hospital in Dhaka. Recently, he was again brought back to Mymensingh.
Communist Party of Bangladesh’s (CPB) Mymensingh district unit general secretary Sheikh Bahar Majumdar told Prothom Alo around 3:30 pm that Jatin Sarkar died at 2:40 pm in the ICU of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. His body is currently at the hospital. The body will be taken to the district’s Udichi office at 4:00 pm for the public to pay their respects. Later, it will be taken to his home district, Netrokona, for the funeral.
Jatin Sarkar was born on 18 August 1936 in Chandpara village of Kendua, Netrokona. The former teacher of the Bangla Department at Nasirabad College in Mymensingh had been engaged for decades in intellectual literary pursuits, leftist politics, and progressive movements. He served two terms as the president of the central committee of Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi.
As a writer, Jatin Sarkar received the Independence Award in 2010, the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 2007, Prothom Alo Book of the Year Award in 2005 for his book Pakistaner Jonmo-Mrittu Dorshon, the Dr Enamul Haque Gold Medal, the Khalekdad Chowdhury Literary Award, the Moniruddin Yusuf Literary Award, and numerous other honours.
After more than 42 years in the teaching profession, Jatin Sarkar retired in 2002. Then, he moved with his wife, Kanan Sarkar, to his home district of Netrokona. There, he lived in his own house in the Satpai area of the town.