Eminent educationist Professor Zillur Rahman Siddiqui died of cardiac arrest early Wednesday. He was 85. Sources at Samorita Hospital said Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, who was a professor of the Department of English at Rajshahi University, had complained of severe chest pain on Tuesday night at his Banani residence. Later, he was taken to the hospital in the city’s Panthapath at about 1:00am where on-duty doctors declared him dead. Doctor at the emergency department of the hospital said Zillur Rahman, a renowned Bangladeshi writer, had breathed his last before he was brought to the hospital. He left behind wife, three sons, a daughter and hosts of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death. He served as a vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University from 1976 to 1984. The educationist authored around 40 books in Bengali and English. Professor Zillur edited the literary quarterly Purbamegh and also edited the acclaimed dictionary, Bangla Academy English-Bengali Dictionary. He received ‘Alaol Sahitya Purashkar’ in 1977, Bangla Academy Award in 1979, ‘Kazi Mahbub Ullah Begum Zebunnisa Trust Award’ in 1990, ‘Alokto Sahitya Purashkar’ in 1998 and ‘MA Haque Swarna Padak’ in 2003.—UNB, Dhaka.
