Professor Dr Safiuddin Ahmed, former president of Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi, passed away at the age of 84 early Tuesday, February 24.
Amit Ranjan Dey, general secretary of Udichi’s central committee, confirmed the matter through a social media post.
Born on October 19, 1941, in Raipura, Narsingdi, Safiuddin Ahmed completed his matriculation in 1960 and Intermediate from Dhaka College in 1962. He earned his BA and MA in Bangla from the University of Dhaka.
He pursued higher studies in Comparative Literature at Jadavpur University and completed his PhD in Rabindra literature from Visva-Bharati University.
He began his teaching career at Netrokona College and later joined government service through the Public Service Commission, teaching at BM College in Barishal, Ananda Mohan College in Mymensingh, and MC College in Sylhet. He also served as the founding head of the Department of Linguistics at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, retiring in 2005.
A distinguished educator, researcher, and cultural activist, he was elected president of Udichi at its 20th National Conference in December 2016 and presided over the 22nd National Conference and other significant events.
Safiuddin Ahmed was a scholar of Bangla literature, comparative criticism, and world literature. His research on Derozio and the Young Bengal Movement, as well as his work on the 19th-century Bengal Renaissance, are recognised as important contributions to literary and cultural studies in Bangladesh.