Islamic scholar Syed Ashraf Ali passes away

Syed Ashraf Ali, former director general of Islamic Foundation Bangladesh, and a renowned scholar on Islam, breathed his last Tuesday morning at 6:05 am at Eden Multicare Centre in Dhaka.

He had been admitted to the hospital a fortnight earlier with complications of the lungs and was in a coma for the two days prior to his death.

His father late Syed Badrudduja was Calcutta mayor and member of India’s Lok SabhaR.S He was born to Rakia Badrudduja in 1939 and educated at St Xaviers College, Calcutta, and Calcutta University.

He moved to the then East Pakistan in 1964 and joined Radio Pakistan. In the early phases of Bangladesh’s War of Liberation, he was instrumental in helping set up the Shwadhin Bangla Biplobi Betar Kendra in Chittagong, where he was posted in March 1971.

Ali authored a number of books and treatises on Islam and hosted regular programmes on Islam on television, particularly Bangladesh Television and ATN Bangla.

His articles in newspapers on a wide range of subjects, including religion and music, were remarkable for their deep insight and liberality. In the course of his career, he participated in a number of seminars and conferences at home and abroad.

He leaves behind his wife Sultana Ali, son Syed Mohammad Ali Zain, daughter-in-law, siblings and innumerable well-wishers and fans for mourn.

He will be buried at the Intellectuals graveyard in Mirpur after his namaz-e-janaza following Zohr prayers at Baitul Mukarram Tuesday.