President of Bangla Academy Prof Shamsuzzaman Khan died with Covid-19 infection on Wednesday. He breathed his last around 2:00pm at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. He was 81 years old and left behind his wife and three daughters.
Shamsuzzaman Khan and his wife tested positive for Covid-19 on March 30. He was born on December 29, 1940 at Charigram in Manikganj. He completed his masters from Dhaka University in 1963. He received Bangla Academy Award in 2001, Ekushey Padak in 2009 and Independence Award in 2017.
Prof Shamsuzzaman succeeded National Professor Anisuzzaman, who served as President of Bangla Academy from 2012 till his demise in May last year. Prof Shamsuzzaman Khan served as Director General of Bangla Academy for 10 years. He is renowned for editing a book series on folk culture of 64 different districts in 64 volumes, and collections of folklore series in 114 volumes. Shamsuzzaman Khan started his career as a teacher and worked as a professor at Haraganga College in Munshiganj, Jagannath College in Dhaka, Mymensingh Agricultural University and National University. He penned and edited more than 100 books. His works include Folklore Charcha, Bangabandhur Rashtrachinta O Bartaman Bangladesh, Bangabandhur Sangey Alap O Anyanya Prasanga, Muktabuddhi, Dharmanirapekshata O Samakal, Bangarashtrer Galpasamagra, Kishore Rachanasamagra, Bangla-desher Utsab and others.
