DHAKA, Feb 7, 2022 (BSS) - Senior journalists and journalists' organizations today paid glowing tributes to BSS former city editor Shamsul Alam Belal as his body was taken to the Jatiya Press Club (JPC) where his first namaz-e-janaza was held in the morning.

  Scores of journalists and Belal's fellow colleagues, including BSS Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad, the Daily Observe Editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former president of BFUJ- Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul and former secretary general of BFUJ Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan joined the funeral prayers held on the JPC premises at 11.30am.

  Later, tribute was paid to senior journalist, columnist and poet Belal, whose actual name is Shamsul Alam Bhuiyan, by the JPC, BFUJ, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and Dhaka Reporters' Unity.

  JPC President Farida Yasmin and General Secretary Elias Khan, BFUJ President Omar Faruque and Treasurer Khairuzzaman Kamal, DUJ General Secretary Sajjad Alam Khan Tapu and DRU General Secretary Nurul Islam Hasib paid tributes to Belal on behalf of their respective organizations by placing wreaths on his coffin.

  Later, the body was taken to his ancestral home at Ludiara village of Chauddagram upazila in Cumilla where he would be laid to eternal rest.

  Belal, also a career journalist, joined BSS in 1981 and went on retirement in 2020.

  He also worked as the Dhaka-based correspondents of 12 international media outlets and wrote columns in several leading English newspapers in Bangladesh regularly.

  Belal was also a founding member of Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) and Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF).

  Prior to joining BSS, Belal worked as an assistant film director and also acted on stage.

  He was an ardent follower and practitioner of Bengali and Indian classical music and also sang in Bangla, Urdu and Hindi on stage.

  Belal authored different books including "The Silver Line in My Memory," "United States, Russia, China, Israel, India and the Muslim World," "Bangladesh: From Ancient Age To Modern Era," "Jatir Pitar Somadhite O Onyanyo Kobita," and "South Asia: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow".