Language Movement veteran Ahmed Rafiq & Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md. Mahfuj Alam. Photo: Collage

DHAKA, Oct 3, 2025 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md. Mahfuj Alam today expressed deep shock and sorrow over the death of Language Movement veteran Ahmed Rafiq.

In a condolence message, he prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed profound sympathy to the bereaved family.

"Ahmed Rafiq played an important role in establishing the dignity of the mother tongue, Bangla," the adviser said.
 
Ahmed Rafiq was a multifaceted talent, said Mahfuj, adding that he made outstanding contributions to literature, culture and research.
 
"His work and ideals will remain a source of inspiration for future generations," he stated.

Ahmed Rafiq passed away at Birdem Hospital in the capital on Thursday night due to old-age complications. He was 96.

He breathed his last at around 10:12pm after doctors removed his ventilation support, a cultural activist confirmed.

Born on September 12, 1929, in Shahbazpur under Brahmanbaria district, Rafiq was a noted figure in the 1952 Language Movement. 

He worked closely with students from various campuses and was the only student from Dhaka Medical College to have an arrest warrant issued against him in 1954.

In 1958, he published his first book Shilpo Songskriti Jibon (Art, Culture, and Life), and went on to write extensively on language, culture, and society.

For his outstanding contributions to literature and thought, he received numerous accolades, including the Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Award, and Rabindra Sahitya Award.