Eminent academic Syed Manzoorul Islam dies

Eminent educationist and writer Syed Manzoorul Islam, emeritus professor at the Department of English at Dhaka University (DU), passed away Friday at the age of 74 while undergoing treatment at a city hospital.

A former professor of English language and literature at DU, Islam breathed his last at around 5pm on Friday. He was admitted to the hospital on October 3 after suffering a heart attack.

Following a series of tests, doctors placed two stents in his heart. His condition deteriorated several days later, and he was put on life support on Sunday evening. Although doctors noted some improvement on Tuesday when he was breathing without ventilation, his health condition again declined on Friday.

His body will be taken to the Central Shaheed Minar for public viewing at 11:00 am today (Saturday), followed by a namaj-e-janaza to be held at the central mosque on the DU campus after Zuhr prayers.

Professor Manzoorul Islam will be laid to eternal rest at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard.

Born on January 18, 1951, in Sylhet to Syed Amirul Islam and Rabeya Khatun, the deceased professor completed his secondary education at Sylhet Government Pilot High School in 1966 and went on to study at MC College.

He later enrolled in the Department of English at Dhaka University, where he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees.

In 1981, he obtained a PhD from Queen's University in Canada for his thesis exploring the influence of Emanuel Swedenborg's philosophy on the poetry of W.B. Yeats.

Manzoorul Islam devoted most of his professional life to teaching in the Department of English at Dhaka University. After retirement, he joined the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).

Over his distinguished career, he received several of Bangladesh's top literary honours, including the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1996 and the Ekushey Padak in 2018.

A prolific author and literary critic, Manzoorul's body of work spans fiction, essays, and literary criticism.

His notable publications include Thaka Na Thakar Golpo, Adhkhana Manush, Dinratriguli, Ajgubi Rat, Tin Porber Jibon, and Nondontotto.

saif.febd@gmail.com