Journalist AZM Anas no more

AZM Anas, economic editor of The Financial Express, has passed away yesterday. He was 45 at the time.

He died of cardiac arrest around 8am at his residence at the capital's Dhanmondi area, according to The Financial Express.

A contributing writer of Nikkei, one of the largest financial newspapers in the world, Anas was an award-winning business and development journalist.

He was also the Bangladesh correspondent of US-based news agency International News Service (INS) and a contributor to non-profit news agency The New Humanitarian.

In 2019, he became the first Bangladeshi to receive the Gold prize for the "Prince Albert II of Monaco and UNCA Awards for coverage of Climate Change".

After he was named as a winner, INS Editor Keith Nuthall wrote, "Abu (Anas) has demonstrated again and again in his work for INS his ability and determination to dig deeper for important facts and analysis. He has applied these skills to this environmental reporting and has been rightly awarded this prize. We are delighted that he has been honoured in this way."

In his 20-plus-year career, he also worked for English dailies the Independent and the New Nation. He held a master's in English language and literature.

He was also a permanent member of the Jatiya Press Club and the Economic Reporters' Forum.

His first namaz-e-janaza was held at the National Press Club premises at 3:30pm, while the the second one was held at Panthapath Jame Masjid after Asr prayers. He was buried at the Azimpur graveyard, said S M Jahangir, chief reporter of The Financial Express.

Anas left behind his wife, two children, and a host of relatives and admirers to mourn his death.