Journalism Pioneer Professor Sakhawat Ali Khan Passes Away

Professor Sakhawat Ali Khan, a foundational figure in journalism education in Bangladesh, has passed away at the age of 85. He breathed his last at a hospital in the capital on Sunday night (Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Raji'un).

According to family members, Professor Khan had recently suffered a stroke. After receiving hospital treatment, he had returned home, but his condition deteriorated again on Sunday night. He was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.

Funeral and Burial Arrangements
The first funeral prayer (Namaj-e-Janaza) for Professor Sakhawat Ali Khan is scheduled for today, Monday, at 10:00 AM at the Dhaka University Central Mosque.

Following the service, his body will be taken to his ancestral village of Dhanua in the Shibpur Upazila of Narsingdi for burial.

He is survived by his wife, a daughter, a son, two grandchildren, and a vast number of students and well-wishers.

A Legacy in Academia and Media
Born in 1941 to a respected family in Narsingdi, Professor Khan spent nearly a decade working for various national dailies before transitioning into academia. His career was marked by several prestigious roles:

Dhaka University: Retired in 2008 from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, subsequently serving as a Supernumerary Professor and eventually an Honorary Professor.

Other Institutions: Served as the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) and as a part-time advisor to the Journalism Department at Daffodil International University.

National Roles: Member of the Bangladesh Press Council and the Board of Management at the Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB).

Research and Advocacy
Professor Khan was a prolific scholar, publishing over 30 research papers in domestic and international journals, with a particular focus on the "interaction between journalism and politics." He represented Bangladesh as a visiting scholar at Southern Illinois University in the United States and presented keynote papers at seminars across 15 countries.

Beyond the classroom, he was a dedicated advocate for civic rights, serving as the founding president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and chairman of the Society for Environment and Social Development.