The fourth death anniversary of eminent journalist, media personality, writer, columnist, and political analyst Mahfuz Ullah is set to be observed on Thursday.
A press release issued by his widow Dinar Jadi Begum on Wednesday said: “We the family members cordially request his friends, colleagues, well-wishers, and fellow countrymen of Bangladesh to join us in prayers for eternal peace of the departed soul of Mahfuz Ullah.”
Mahfuz Ullah was flown to Thailand for advanced treatment on April 10, 2019, as he had been suffering from various complications of the heart, kidney and lungs.
He breathed his last at Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok on April 27 the same year.
Born in Noakhali in 1950, Mahfuz Ullah obtained a master's degrees in physics and journalism from Dhaka University. He became involved in journalism when he was a student and had been associated with popular weekly "Bichitra" since its inception in 1972.
He was politically active since his student life and had taken part in the 11-point movement. He was expelled from Dhaka College for his activism.
He also worked at Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata as a "China expert" and taught at Dhaka University's journalism department. Mahfuz Ullah had hosted radio and television shows and been involved with leading Bangla and English dailies in Bangladesh.
He has also authored more than 50 books in Bangla and English, apart from editing a number of others.
Books edited by him include the biographies of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, the mass uprising of 1969, insurgency in Assam, and post-independent Bangladesh.