BUET VC Khaleda Ekram dies
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology vice-chancellor Khaleda Ekram died at a hospital in Bangkok early Tuesday at the age of 66.
Khaleda Ekram, the first woman vice-chancellor of the university, was suffering from cancer (non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma) and died at Bangkok General Hospital, said architecture department professor Shahidul Ameen.
Khaleda’s body would be flown home today and would be buried in her mother’s grave at Banani graveyard, said of architecture department head Farida Nilufar.
Khaleda Ekram was also a professor at the department.
The body would be kept at in front of the architecture department on the campus today at 4:00pm so that people from all walks of life could pay their last homage.
Khaleda Ekram’s namaz-e-janaza would be held at the university playground at 5:30pm, Nulufar added.
All academic activities at the university remained closed for Tuesday to mourn the death of the incumbent vice-chancellor of the university.
President Abdul Hamid, prime minister Sheikh Hasina, University Grants Commission chairman and member, education minister Nurul Islam Nahid, Dhaka University vice-chancellor, Jahangirnagar University vice-chancellor, among others, expressed their deep shocks at the death of Khaleda Ekram.
In separate condolence messages, they prayed for the eternal peace of her departed soul and conveyed their sympathy to the bereaved family members.
Khaleda was survived by a son, two daughters and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn her death.
Earlier on May 11, Khaleda was admitted to Square Hospital in Dhaka after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and later flown to Bangkok on May 13 as her condition deteriorated.
Born on August 6, 1950, BUET alumni Khaleda joined the university as lecturer in October 1975. She also served the university as dean of the faculty of architecture and planning and head of the architecture department.
In September 2014, she became first female vice-chancellor of the university.
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net
