The coffin of eminent writer, researcher, academic and president of the Bangla Academy, Professor Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq, was brought to Dhaka University campus on Monday for a final farewell.

At around 12:00 pm, his coffin was placed before Aparajeyo Bangla, beside the university's Faculty of Arts building, where teachers, students, colleagues, representatives from various organizations, paid their last respects.

Prof Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq: The fearless intellectual who became the nation’s conscience

Earlier in the day, at around 11:00 am, his body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital, where people from all walks of life gathered to pay tribute before it was brought to the Dhaka University campus.

At 1:00 pm, the coffin was taken to the university's Central Mosque, where his second funeral prayer was held after Zuhr prayers.

Among those attending the funeral were Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane, along with teachers and students from different departments.

Speaking before the funeral prayer, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam said, "We have always known Professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haq as a remarkable human being who dedicated his thoughts to the state and society. He made significant contributions to Dhaka University. His good deeds, philosophy and ideas will continue to inspire us, and we will always remember him through his work."

Following the funeral, his body was taken to the Mirpur Shahid Buddhijibi Graveyard for burial at around 2:30 pm.

Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq was a distinguished literary critic and a professor who taught for 40 years in the Department of Bangla at the University of Dhaka. He breathed his last at around 2:30pm on Sunday at a hospital in Mirpur after falling sick at a family programme.

He graduated from the University of Dhaka in 1965 and completed his master's degree at the same university in 1966.

He served as the convener of the Rashtrabhasha Bangla Rokkha Committee (State Language Bengali Protection Committee). He also served as the president of Bangla Academy.

He received several awards for his contributions to literature and research, including the Bangla Academy Award (1981), the Alakta Memorial Literary Award (2004), the Bangladesh Writers’ Association Humayun Kabir Memorial Award (1974), and  Kolkata Little Magazine Library and Research Center Award (1991), according to Bangla Academy. 

His first book, Muktisangram was published in 1972.

More than 250 research articles of Prof Huq were published in national and international journals. His works included 32 books, 1 translation and he edited a total of 23 books.

His son, publisher Faisal Arefin Dipon, who owned Jagriti Prokashony, was killed by Islamist militants on October 31, 2015.