Syed Ashraf Ali, former Director General, Islamic Foundation Bangladesh, and renowned scholar on Islam, breathed his last yesterday, 19 January 2016, at Eden Multicare Centre in Dhaka.
He was admitted to hospital a fortnight earlier with complications of the lungs and was in a coma for the two days prior to his death.
Son of the late Syed Badrudduja, former mayor of Calcutta and member of India’s Lok Sabha, and Rakia Badrudduja, Syed Ashraf Ali was born in 1939 and educated at St. Xaviers College, Calcutta, and Calcutta University.
He moved to the then East Pakistan in 1964 and joined Radio Pakistan. In the early phases of Bangladesh’s War of Liberation, he was instrumental in helping set up the Shwadhin Bangla Biplobi Betar Kendra in Chittagong, where he was posted in March 1971.
Ali authored a number of books and treatises on Islam and hosted regular programmes on Islam on television, particularly Bangladesh Television and ATN Bangla.
His articles in newspapers on a wide range of subjects, including religion and music, were remarkable for their deep insight and liberality. In the course of his career, he participated in a number of seminars and conferences at home and abroad.
He leaves behind his wife Sultana Ali, son Syed Mohammad Ali Zain, his daughter-in-law, siblings and innumerable well-wishers and fans.
His Namaz-e-Janaza was held after Zohr prayers yesterdayat Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. His mortal remains were buried at the Intellectuals graveyard in Mirpur.
