Ekushey Padak-winning poet, author and freedom fighter Mohammad Rafiq passed away at the age of 80 on Sunday night.
He breathed his last around 10pm while on his way to Dhaka from Barisal, his family told the media.
He suddenly fell ill on Sunday morning while staying at his home village in Bagerhat. He was first taken to Bagerhat and later to Barisal.
After various tests at a private clinic in Barisal, doctors advised him to take him to Dhaka when he was diagnosed with various physical complications.
On Sunday evening, the family members left for Dhaka with the poet for better treatment. However, at one stage he passed away.
Mohammad Rafiq was born in 1943 in the village of Baitpur, Bagerhat. During his student life at Dhaka University, he was a political activist and was arrested and jailed twice. A Pakistani martial law court sentenced him to 10 years of hard labour. He was released earlier to complete his university studies. During the Liberation War, Mohammad Rafiq served as the sector-1 commander and motivated the freedom fighters. Later he worked with the famous Radio station of Independent Bengal.
Mohammad Rafiq worked as a teacher at Chittagong Government College and at Dhaka College. After working in the Department of English, Jahangirnagar University for three decades, Mohammad Rafiq retired in 2009.
He received Alaol Literary Award, Bangla Academy Award, Ekushey Padak, Gemcon Literary Award, Prothom Alo Sahitya Puraskar and Kabi Jasimuddin Sahitya Puraskar.
Mohammad Rafiq emerged as a poet in the early ‘60s. His debut collection of poems titled Baishakhi Purnima was published in 1970. Following which, his Dhular Sangsare Ei Mati was published in 1976.
His literary works include Kirtinasha, Khola Kabita o Kapila, Gaodiya, Swadeshi Nihshaws Tumimay, Meghe Ebong Kaday, Roopkatha Kingbadanty, Matsyagandhya, Bishkhali Sandhya, Nirbachita Kabita, Kalapani, Nonajhau, Mohammad Rafiq Rachanabali 1, 2 and This Path: Selected Poems of Mohammad Rafiq.
