The managing editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), Shahriar Shahid, has died at the age of 55.
He passed away while undergoing treatment in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) at Apollo Hospitals in Dhaka around 1:50pm on Saturday, reports BSS.
Shahriar, son of former editor of now defunct Bangladesh Times AKM Shahidul Haque, was admitted to the hospital last Wednesday following a heart attack.
His body will be kept at the mortuary of BIRDEM Hospital till Monday.
Shahriar’s first Namaj-e-Janaza will be held after the Zohr prayers at National Press Club on Sunday afternoon.
On Monday morning, his body will be taken to his workplace for his colleagues at the BSS office at the city’s Purana Paltan to pay their last respects.
The second janaza would be held at Narsingdi after the Asr prayers on Monday prior to his burial.
The burial in the family graveyard at Narsingdi will take place after the arrival of his two sisters from the US.
He has left behind his wife, a son and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his loss.
Hailing from Narsingdi, Shahriar started his journalism career in international news agency Reuters, reports UNB.
He wrote more than 30 books based-on the interviews of the gallantry award winning freedom fighters and on region-based history of 1971 Liberation War.
He also made some documentaries on the Liberation War.
President, PM mourn
President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday expressed deep shock and sorrow at Shahriar Shahid’s death.
In a condolence message, Hamid prayed for the eternal peace of Shahriar’s departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family.
In a separate message, Hasina recalled Shahriar’s contribution in the field of journalism and extended her condolences to his grief-stricken family.
BSS Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad, Jatiya Press Club President Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman and General Secretary Farida Yasmin, and Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) also mourned Shahriar’s death in separate messages.