The first Namaaz-e-Janaza of prolific poet Al Mahmud was held on Saturday (Feb 16) at the National Press Club.
His body was brought to the club’s tennis ground after 12 pm.
“Poet Al Mahmud was an important figure in the country,” said former Dhaka University vice chancellor Emazuddin Ahmed.
He added that Mahmud had worked to save the sovereignty of the country and had important contributions in the 1971 War of Liberation.
His second Namaaz-e-Janaza will be held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
Poet Al Mahmud, the author of Sonali Kabin, breathed his last at the age of 82 at the capital’s Ibn Sina Hospital on Friday (Feb 15).
He is considered one of the greatest Bengali poets to have emerged in the 20th century. His work in Bengali poetry is dominated by his frequent use of regional dialects.
In the 1950s he was among those Bengali poets who were outspoken in their writing on such subjects as the events of the Bengali Language Movement, nationalism, political and economic repression, and the struggle against the West Pakistani government.
He was born in Morail Village of Brahmanbaria District in Bangladesh in 1936. His childhood and secondary education days were spent in this village which is located adjacent to Brahmanbaria town.
Mahmud started his career as a journalist and obtained widespread recognition after Lok Lokantor was published in 1963.
Al Mahmud was honoured with Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Award, and Kabi Jasim Uddin Award in recognition of his contribution to bengali literature.