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Ex-DU VC Arefin Siddique laid to rest

Published : Saturday, 15 March, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 375
Former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique has been laid to rest at Azimpur graveyard next to his parents.

His body, however, was not taken to the university campus for a funeral prayer or final tribute, despite his 40 years of service there.

Arefin, a former faculty member of the mass communication and journalism department, died at 10:40pm on Thursday, after being in a critical condition for a week at Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital and Research Institute in Dhaka.

His body was moved to his residence at Dhanmondi's North Road that night, where it was kept in a freezing van.

At 11am on Friday, his funeral prayers were held outside the Baitul Aqsa Jame Mosque near his house.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan attended the prayer.

In response to a journalist's question, the vice-chancellor said: "The funeral prayer is not taking place at Dhaka University considering the overall situation and the family's decision."

"A special prayer, however, will be conducted at the central mosque on behalf of the university."

When asked why the body was not taken to the university, the vice-chancellor did not provide an answer.

From Baitul Aqsa, Arefin's body was taken to Shahi Eidgah in Dhanmondi 6, allowing students and well-wishers to bid him a final farewell.

After Jummah prayers, his funeral prayers were also held at Eidgah Jame Mosque, followed by another prayer at the Eidgah ground.

His colleagues from Dhaka University, students, family members, and friends were in attendance.

Earlier on Thursday, around 10:45pm, Arefin's two brothers, Atikullah Siddique and Saifullah Siddique, confirmed the students who gathered at the hospital about his death.

On Mar 6, the former vice-chancellor suffered a "severe" stroke after falling while purchasing Iftar at Dhaka Club.
He was subsequently taken to BIRDEM General Hospital, where doctors confirmed the stroke.

Arefin was later transferred to the intensive care unit, or ICU, at Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital and Research Institute.
His condition deteriorated further, leading to him being put on life support the same day.

Arefin had served as Dhaka University's vice-chancellor for two terms.

He was first appointed on Jan 15, 2009, and nearly four and a half years later, he was reappointed for a second term by the government on Aug 25, 2013.

Before becoming vice-chancellor, he served as a professor and chairman of the mass communication and journalism department and later as the dean of the faculty of social sciences.

Arefin was a leader of the Blue panel, an alliance of Awami League-backed teachers, and had also served two terms as the general secretary and president of the Dhaka University Teachers' Association.

On Jul 15, 2020, he was appointed chairman of the state news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, or BSS, board of directors.
He was also a member of several national committees on education, culture, and broadcasting.

Although his ancestral home is in Narsingdi's Raipura, he was born in Dhaka on Oct 23, 1953.

He earned both his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Mass Communication and Journalism from Dhaka University in 1973 and 1975, respectively.

Before joining Dhaka University as a lecturer in 1980, he served as the public relations officer at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, or BUET.

Prof Arefin is survived by his wife and a daughter, who is currently studying at Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

She returned home on Sunday upon receiving news of her father's deteriorating health. �"bdnews24.com



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