Eminent historian and National Professor Dr Salahuddin Ahmed passed away, at the age of 90, yesterday morning. He breathed his last around 6am at his Banani residence.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited late Professor’s residence this morning and spent sometimes there. The premier prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family members.
President Abdul Hamid also expressed deep shock at the death of Professor Salahuddin Ahmed.
“The nation has lost an illustrious historian,” said the President in a condolence message. The loss caused by his death is irreparable, he added.
Professor Salahuddin was one of the leading proponents and theorists of the four basic ideals on which Bangladesh was established, said Bangla Academy director general Shamsuzzaman Khan.
Throughout the life, he upheld secularism as the core of the state that was liberated through the bloody war of 1971, Shamsuzzaman said.
“He would be remembered as one of the very few historians in South Asia whose work has enriched the study of history not only of this region, but also of the world,” the Bangla Academy DG said.
He also said because of his involvement with MN Roy’s Radical Humanist Party, Salahuddin had led a life of revolutionary humanist. Shamsuzzaman also mentioned Salahuddin’s role as the chief adviser in publishing Bangabandhu’s autobiography.
The Vice Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Professor Dr Farzana Islam yesterday expressed deep shock at the death of Professor Salahuddin who was former JU history department teacher .
“Jahangirnagar University family is deeply shocked at the death of this great historian who devoted himself discovering the truth all over his life,” said JU vice chancellor.
Professor Rafique Ullah Khan of Bangla department in Dhaka University said one would find an unusual integrity and consistency in Prof Salauddin’s works.
Professor Rafique also said many historians seemed confused about the way they should judge the history or look at times like 1947 and 1975. Many would be seen grappling with the right approach, but this widely renowned Bengali historian [Salahuddin Ahmed] had took just and right approach in these situations.
Dr Salahuddin was awarded with Ekushey Padak and Bangladesh Sadhinota Padak (Independence Day Award).
Born in 1922 in Faridpur. His teaching career began in 1948 when he joined the Jagannath College as a lecturer. Subsequently he served as lecturer, reader and professor of history at the Rajshahi University, and later as history professor at the Jahangirnagar and Dhaka Universities. He was a Unesco cultural fellow at Japan’s Kyoto University and visiting lecturer at the Universities of Pennsylvania and Chicago.