Ekushey Padak winning writer Rashid Haider no more

Rashid Haider, a renowned writer, liberation war researcher and former director of Bangla Academy, is no more (Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilahi Raziun).

Rashid Haider passed away at his daughter Shawanti Haider's house on Dhaka University's Fuller Road at 10 am on Tuesday. Son-in-law Ishtiaq Azad gave this information in the first light.

Rashid Haider was 69 years old. He was suffering from aging complications.

Rashid Haider's brother poet Zahid Haider told Prothom Alo that Rashid Haider had been suffering from Parkinson's disease for 9 months.

Rashid Haider is survived by his two daughters, Hemanti Haider and Shawanti Haider, as well as numerous relatives and admirers. Rashid Haider's wife Anisa Akhtar died in 2019.

Ishtiaq Azad told Prothom Alo that the janaza of Rashid Haider will be held at the central mosque of Dhaka University after Johar today.

Rashid Haider's brother poet Zahid Haider told Prothom Alo that Rashid Haider will be buried in Azimpur cemetery in the grave of his wife Anisa Akter.

According to the news agency BSS, Rashid Haider has written more than 60 books including stories, novels, plays, translations, articles, memoirs and editing. He was awarded Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Award, Humayun Qadir Award, Agrani Bank and other awards.

Rashid Haider was born on 15 July 1941 in the village of Dohapara in Pabna. Although known as Rashid Haider, his full name is Sheikh Faisal Abdur Rashid Mohammad Ziauddin Haider. Nickname Dulal.

Rashid Haider obtained his secondary from Gopalganj Institution, higher secondary from Pabna Edward College and his master's degree in Bengali literature from Dhaka University.

Inspired by his elder brother Zia Haider, Rashid Haider started working for Chitrali as a university student.

In 1964, Rashid Haider started working as an assistant editor of Parikram, the mouthpiece of the Pakistan Writers Guild. In 1962 he started working in Bangla Academy. He retired from the post of director of Bangla Academy in 1999. He later became the executive director of Nazrul Institute.

Source: Prothom Alo