EDITORIAL: Homage to Rashid Haider

Mr. Rashid Haider, one of Bangladesh’s leading researcher and author of the 1971 Independence War, has passed away at the age of 79.

He left quietly after prolonged old-age sickness and was buried soon after, without any opportunity for his loved followers to pay their homage by keeping his body at the Central Shaheed Minar. This is sad as many were deprived of seeing him for the last time and giving him a final farewell.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina deeply condoled his death, while Roktodhara Ekattor, an organisation representing the children and grandchildren of 1971 martyrs, in paying tributes to his memory recalled his historical research on finding unknown martyred Freedom Fighters and Intellectuals.

Mr. Rashid Haider started to a book serial named “Smiriti Ekattor” based on which successive governments considered his research as authentic and many were listed as “Martyred Intellectuals.” Postal stamps were issued to honour them.

But after his term ended as a director of the Bangla Academy the project met a quite death. That was possibly Mr. Rashid Haider’s greatest sorrow of his life. He tried to revive it, but failed.

A winner of many awards, including the Ekushey Padak, he was like a guardian to the martyrs’ children and there is no second to him to do what he did for this group.

We urge the Bangla Academy to revive the project and appoint a man as dedicated and unbiased as Mr. Rashid Haider to lead it.

We pray for the eternal peace of Mr. Rashid Haider and that his works live from generation to generation.