Bangla Academy Director General Habibullah Sirajee was put on life support at a city hospital on Tuesday. The Ekushey Padak-winning poet was admitted to Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in Shyamoli on April 25 and shifted to the ICU this morning. Bangla Academy Secretary AHM Lokman said the DG was hospitalised after feeling unbearable pain in his stomach, which was caused by complications in his intestine and the digestive system. “A medical board was formed to treat him. He’s scheduled to undergo an operation tonight," he told UNB. Sirajee has other health complications including peptic ulcer but he tested negative for COVID-19, Lokman said. "He’s taken both shots of COVID-19 vaccine and also tested very recently. The result came out negative," he said. The poet took charge as the Bangla Academy DG on December 20, 2018. Born on December 31, 1948 in Faridpur, Sirajee graduated from BUET and was one of the founders and former president of Jatiya Kabita Parishad (National Poetry Council). He won the Ekushey Padak in 2016 and Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1991 for his remarkable contribution to poetry.

Former teacher of the Department of History and Culture of Islam at Rajshahi University, Professor Emeritus  A. B. M. Hossain passed away on Saturday. He was 90.   “Prof Hossain passed away at 2:30 pm at Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in the capital,” said family sources.   He has left many admirers, including children, grandchildren to mourn his death.   Professor Hossain will be buried at Mirpur Cemetery after Janazah prayers at Kalabagan Dolphin Lane Jame Mosque in the capital after Asr.

National Award-winning  singer, composer and music director Azad Rahman passed away on Saturday at the age of 76.