Bazlur Rahman founder of Khelaghor passed

Bazlur Rahman passes away

Staff Correspondent

Bazlur Rahman, a legendary editor of the daily Sangbad and a freedom fighter, died last night from a massive heart attack.

He was rushed to Ibrahim Memorial Hospital and Cardiac Research Institute after a cardiac arrest while having dinner at Dhaka Club around 10.55pm, and the doctors declared him dead at 11:40pm. He was 67.

Bazlur is the husband of former minister and Awami League presidium member Matia Chowdhury.

Bazlur started his career as a reporter with the Sangbad in 1961. He also had a brief stint with the daily Ittefaq.

Born on August 3, 1941 in Baneshwardi village under Nokla of Sherpur, he was actively involved in politics of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, and National Awami Party (Mozaffar) at a point of his life.

Dr Rezaul Karim, associate professor of cardiology department of the hospital, said, "We tried our best for about an hour to save his life. The attack was his second."

Businessman Bakhtiar Alam, who was with Bazlur when he collapsed at the club, told The Daily Star, "We were sitting next to each other when he started having a seizure and fell on my lap. We took him to the hospital as fast as we could."

Bazlur was known as a progressive, secular, and a free thinking journalist. For his journalistic excellence he was awarded Freedom Fighter Journalists' Award, and Mymensingh Press Club Award. He was a member of the boards of directors of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, and Bangladesh Press Council. He was also the acting president of National Press Club. He was well known as an organiser of children, for being one of the founders of Khelaghar, a children's organisation.

Bazlur's wake will be held at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital today between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. Before that his body will be taken to his Maghbazar residence at 11:00am, from where the body will be taken to the Sangbad office at Purana Paltan at 12:00pm. After which his body will be transported to the National Press Club prior to the wake at the Shaheed Minar.

link: http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=25216