National Professor as well as renowned civil engineer and educationist Dr Jamilur Reza Choudhury passed away in a city hospital early Tuesday at the age of 77.
Dr Choudhury had a heart attack at home at around sehri time, according to family sources. Later, he was taken to Square Hospitals at around 4:00 am, where he was declared dead.
He was born to Hayatun Nessa Choudhury (1922-2010) and Engineer Abid Reza Choudhury (1905-1991) in Sylhet on November 15, 1943.
He is survived by his wife Selina Choudhury, daughter Charisma Farheen Choudhury and son Kaashif Reza Choudhury.
Dr Choudhury was the vice chancellor (VC) of the University of Asia Pacific (UAP). He had been the president of Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad Committee since 2003.
In 2017, he was awarded 'Ekushey Padak' by the Government of Bangladesh in the category of science and technology.
The demise of Jamilur Reza Choudhury has left people in grief. He is being remembered for his great contribution to the country.
The national professor was an internationally recognised civil engineer, educationist, researcher, administrator and leader.
Practically, almost no important development project in Bangladesh has been implemented without the involvement of Prof Choudhury. His brilliant works continue to inspire civil engineers at home and abroad.
Dr Choudhury served as the head of Department of Civil Engineering for the periods of 1978-79 and 1981-83. He also served as the dean of Faculty of Civil Engineering during the period of 1983-85.
After retirement from BUET in 2001, Prof Choudhury was appointed as the VC of Brac University in Dhaka, where he served until 2010. Since 2010, he has been the VC of UAP in the capital.
He published about 70 papers, related to tall buildings, low-cost housing, earthquake resistant design, cyclones and storm surges, retrofitting of structures, IT applications and policy issues, in international journals and conference proceedings.
He was the team leader of Multipurpose Cyclone Shelter Programme, and prepared the master plan for cyclone shelters in the country's coastal areas in early 90s.
He was a key member of the steering committee on the Bangladesh National Building Code (1993), and played a vital role in formulating the first wind speed map and seismic zoning map of Bangladesh.
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