Helal Hafiz laid to rest with state honours

Jago News Desk Published: 14 December 2024, 03:48 PM
Helal Hafiz laid to rest with state honours
Mourners file past the mortal remains of Helal Hafiz laid in state at Bangla Academy on Saturday. – Collected Photo

Celebrated poet Helal Hafiz was laid to rest with state honours at the Martyred Intellectuals' Cemetery in Mirpur on Saturday afternoon. 

The burial took place at around 3:00pm, following two funeral prayers at the Bangla Academy and the National Press Club, where his admirers, relatives, and prominent figures gathered to pay their final respects.

Among those present were Mostafa Sarwar Farooki, Cultural Affairs Adviser to the interim government, and Professor Mohammad Azam, Director General of Bangla Academy.

Expressing his condolences, Farooki said: "Helal Hafiz secured his place among the great poets of the Bengali language with only a handful of poems. The nation will forever remember his profound contributions to literature."

Born on October 7, 1948, in Netrakona, Helal Hafiz became a literary icon with his evocative and thought-provoking poetry. Despite his passing, his elder brother, Dulal A Hafiz, confirmed that his body would not be taken to his ancestral home.

Helal Hafiz passed away on Friday afternoon, after falling in the washroom of his hostel in Shahbagh. He was rushed to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The poet had been battling numerous health complications, including glaucoma, kidney issues, diabetes, and neurological conditions. He was 76 years old at the time of his death.

Though Helal Hafiz published only a few works, his poems left an indelible mark on Bengali literature, resonating with themes of love, loss, and resistance. His passing marks the end of an era, but his words will continue to inspire generations to come.