The funeral of eminent educationist, leftist politician, and intellectual writer Professor Jatin Sarkar—recipient of the Independence Award, Bangla Academy Award, and numerous other honors—was completed through the offering of floral tributes for the last time.
The death of 89-year-old Jatin Sarkar has left his family, relatives, admirers, followers, and the entire Netrokona community in mourning.
Jatin, the Independence Award-winner, breathed his last at around 2:45pm, Wednesday at the hospital, said assistant director of Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital (Admin) Dr Main Uddin.
He had been suffering from different old-age complications, including polyarthritis.
A few months ago, he underwent surgery for multiple health issues.
After partial recovery, he had been living at his home in Netrokona.
In June, he suffered a fall while bringing a newspaper from the veranda outside his bedroom, resulting in a right femoral neck fracture.
Later, he was initially admitted to a hospital in Dhaka and transferred to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital on August 8, where he had been in intensive care.
Born on August 18, 1936, in Chandpara village of Kendua upazila in Netrokona, Jatin was the eldest son of Gyanendra Chandra Sarker and Bimala Bala Sarker.
Jatin, a former professor in the Bangla Department at Nasirabad College in Mymensingh, was deeply engaged in literary pursuits, leftist politics and progressive movements throughout his life.
He served two terms as the president of the Central Committee of Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi.
He received the Independence Award in 2010, the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 2007 and the Prothom Alo Book of the Year Award in 2005 for his book "Pakistaner Janmo-Mrityu Darshan".
His awards also include the Dr Enamul Haque Gold Medal, the Khalekdad Chowdhury Literary Award and the Moniruddin Yusuf Literary Award.
After retiring in 2002 from over four decades of teaching, he returned to his ancestral home in Netrokona with his wife, Kanon Sarker, driven by a deep connection to his roots.
He is survived by his son and daughter, and a host of relatives to mourn his death.
