Rafiqul Islam, the Bangladeshi expatriate, who played a pioneering role in achieving recognition of February 21 as the International Mother Language died in Vancouver General Hospital in Canada on Wednesday. He was 63.
His family members said he had been suffering from leukaemia for over two years, and lastly he was admitted in hospital the day after Eid-ul-Azha, after his condition deteriorated.
Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN AKA Momen confirmed the news of Rafiqul’s death.
He was from Rajbari in Comilla, and had been living in Canada for the last 18 years.
Initiatives by Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam, members of Vancouver-based Mother Language of the World, inspired the Bangladesh government to work towards achieving UN recognition of the glorious Language Movement.
Responding to Bangladesh’s formal proposal, the Unesco in 1999 declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day.
Education, Primary and Mass Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Friday condoled the death of Rafiqul Islam.
The minister prayed for the eternal peace to his departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.
In a message of condolence, Nahid said: “Rafiqul Islam under the banner “Mother Language Lovers’ Group”, a multilingual and multinational organisation, proposed to the secretary general of the United Nations in 1998 to declare the February 21 as the International Mother Language Day.
In line with the proposal, Unesco declared February 21 as the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999, the minister added.
