Ekushey Padak-winning poet and freedom fighter Mohammad Rafiq passed away Sunday night. He was 80.
He breathed his last on his way to Dhaka from Barishal around 10:00pm.
As the poet fell sick at his village home in Bagerhat in the morning, he was taken to Bagerhat and then Barishal.
Diagnosed with various physical complications, he was referred from Barishal to Dhaka.
He was born in village Baitpur of Bagerhat in 1943. During his study in Dhaka University, he was arrested for political link. Pakistani regime awarded him imprisonment for 10 years. In the 1971 war of liberation, he was a front-liner. He was also associated with Radio station of Independent Bengal.
He was a teacher of English department in Chittagong Government College, Dhaka College and Jahangirnagar University. In 2009, he went on retirement.
Embarking on literary career in the early 60s, his first collection of poems came into being under the title “Baishakhi Purnima” in 1970 followed by Dhular Sangsare Ei Mati in 1976.
Besides, Swadeshi Nihshaws Tumimay, Meghe Ebong Kaday, Roopkatha Kingbadanty, Matsyagandhya, Bishkhali Sandhya, Kirtinasha, Khola Kabita o Kapila, Gaodiya, Nirbachita Kabita, Kalapani, Nonajhau, Mohammad Rafiq Rachanabali 1 and 2 and This Path: Selected Poems of Mohammad Rafiq are some of his literary works to be mentioned.
Mohammad Rafiq was recipient of Bangla Academy Award, Ekushey Padak, Gemcon Literary Award, Kabi Jasimuddin Sahitya Puraskar, Prothom Alo Sahitya Puraskar and Alaol Literary Award.
