National Prof Anisuzzaman laid to rest

Eminent educationist and National Professor Dr Anisuzzaman laid to his eternal rest with state honour at the Azimpur graveyard in the capital on Friday, a day after he breathed his last at Dhaka's Combined Military Hospital (CMH), reports BSS.

A contingent of policemen offered him the honour guard as the body was laid on the grave of his father and beside his mother at the graveyard at 10.23 am after a namaj-e-janaza and other Islamic burial rituals were performed at the scene.

Anisuzzaman breathed his last at around 4:55 pm on Thursday at the CMH, Dhaka where he was being treated since May 10 for old age complications and following his death he was tested COVID-19 positive.

The detection of the COVID-19 case forced amendment to an initial plan for staging janazas at the Dhaka University campus and Bangla Academy while the burial plan was reset in line with a Prime Minister's Office directive.

Anisuzzaman's son Ananda Zaman in a statement said the detection of the virus unfortunately prevented most of those who wanted to join the janaza and have their last glimpses of the celebrated national professor.

"(But) Whether you can attend or not, please pray (for him) from distance," he wrote in a message detailing the amended burial plan under which a team of voluntary Markazul Islam went to the CMH mortuary in the morning where they performed the rituals and religious practices ahead of putting it in a coffin.

Then the body was driven to the Azimpur graveyard for burial amid the brief state ceremony and religious fervor.

People from all walks of life paid through social media tributes and respect to Anizuzzaman, widely regarded as a guardian angel, as the prevailing shutdown prevented many from attending the janaza.