Ekushey Padak winning eminent artist and teacher of Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University Professor Samarjit Roy Chowdhury passed away while undergoing treatment at a city hospital on Sunday (Oct 9) afternoon. He was 85.
Chowdhury was suffering from cardiovascular and lung ailments, local media reported citing family sources.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Professor Samarjit Roy Chowdhury. In a condolence message, the premier prayed for salvation of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
His body was taken to his residence in the capital in the evening and later it was kept at the BIRDEM Hospital's mortuary.
The body will be kept on the premises of Dhaka University Fine Arts Faculty between 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. to allow his colleagues and students to have a last glimpse of him. Later, his body will be taken to Central Shaheed Minar to allow people of all strata to pay their last tributes to the eminent artist. His body will be kept there from 11.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Later, he will be cremated at Sabujbagh crematorium.
Samarjit Roy Chowdhury was born on Feb 10, 1937 in Comilla District. In 1960, he graduated in Graphic Design from the Government Art Institute now Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University.
There he was guided by legendary artists Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, Quamrul Hassan and others.
Chowdhury joined the faculty of Dhaka University and worked for 43 years and retired as Professor in 2003. Then he served as Dean of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts of the Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology until 2010. As of 2014, he was serving as supernumerary professor at the University of Dhaka.
He was conferred with Ekushey Padak in 2014.
