Language Movement Veteran Ahmed Rafiq Passes Away at 96

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Publish : 03 Oct 2025, 09:25 AM

Photo: Collected

Language Movement veteran Ahmed Rafiq has passed away (Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un) at the age of 96.

He breathed his last at BIRDEM Hospital in Dhaka on Thursday (October 2), where he was on life support.

Ismail Sadi, a professor at BRAC University who had been regularly monitoring Mr. Rafiq's health, confirmed the news of his death, quoting the attending physician. Sadi stated, "Ahmed Rafiq left us today at 10:12 PM."

A Life Dedicated to Language and Literature

Ahmed Rafiq was admitted to Health and Hope Hospital on September 11. He spent his 97th birthday lying in a bed at the hospital on September 12. Prior to that, he had been admitted to LabAid Hospital twice in a single month.

He was transferred from Health and Hope Hospital to BIRDEM on September 29. He had been suffering from multiple ailments, including diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic kidney failure, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, electrolyte imbalance, bedsores, and a lung infection.

Born on September 12, 1929, in Shahbazpur village, Brahmanbaria, Ahmed Rafiq completed his Higher Secondary education from Haraganga College in Munshiganj.

He initially enrolled in Chemistry at Dhaka University but later transferred to Dhaka Medical College when he was unable to secure residential facilities at Fazlul Huq Hall.

During his third year at medical college in 1952, he was actively involved in the historic Language Movement. He maintained contact with students at Fazlul Huq Hall, Dhaka Hall, and Mitford, and was a regular presence at meetings, rallies, and processions.

In 1954, he was the only student among the Dhaka Medical College protestors to have an arrest warrant issued in his name. He resumed his studies in late 1955 after going public, and though he earned an MBBS degree, he never pursued a career as a physician.

Ahmed Rafiq dedicated his life to literature and writing. His first collection of essays, Shilpo Shanskriti Jibon (Art, Culture, Life), was published in 1958.

Throughout his distinguished career, he received numerous accolades, including the Ekushey Padak, the Bangla Academy Award, and the title of Rabindratwacharjya (Expert on Rabindranath Tagore).

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