Poet Mohammad Rafiq no more

Renowned poet Mohammad Rafiq has passed away at the age of 80.

According to family sources, Mohammad Rafiq fell ill during his way back to Dhaka from his sister's house in Barishal. He was rushed to the Rajoir upazila health complex, where he eventually breathed his last around 10pm on Sunday.

A prolific poet since the 1960s, Mohammad Rafiq will be laid to rest in his hometown in Bagerhat.

Mohammad Rafiq was recognised with the Ekushey Padak Award in 2010 for his outstanding contributions to literature. He had also served as an associate professor in the Department of English at Jahangirnagar University.

Throughout his career, Mohammad Rafiq's poetic expressions resonated with pivotal historical moments. He played an instrumental role in infusing poetic fervor into the student movement and poetry during the tumultuous Pakistan period. Moreover, his words provided inspiration to the anti-dictatorship movement in the 1980s, during Bangladesh's era of independence.

In 1970, he introduced his first poetry collection, "Baishakhi Purnima," followed by "Dhular Sangsare Ei Mati" in 1976.

His literary repertoire includes notable works such as "Kirtinasha" (1979), "Khola Kavita and Kapila" (1983), "Gaudiya" (1986), "Swadeshi Niswam Tumimay" (1988), "Meghe and Kaday" (1991), "Rupakatha Kingavadanti" (1998), "Matsya Gandhya" (1999), "Mati Kisku" (2000), "Bishkhali Sandhya" (2003), and "Selected Poems" (2003).

Beyond his contributions to poetry, Mohammad Rafiq's prose works were equally impactful. Notable among these are 'Love's Jibanananda' (2003), 'Self Defense Report' (2001), and 'Smriti Bismriti Antaral' (2002).

The legacy of Mohammad Rafiq extends beyond his writings, as he received the prestigious Bangla Academy Award in 1987 for his profound influence on Bengali literature.