Veteran journalism educator Prof Sakhawat Ali Khan dies at 85

Prof Sakhawat Ali Khan, a pioneering figure in Bangladesh's journalism education and a longtime teacher at the University of Dhaka, passed away last night at a hospital in the capital. He was 85.

Family members said he had suffered a stroke a few days earlier and was admitted to the hospital. After several days of treatment, he was taken home. However, he fell ill again last night and was rushed back to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

His namaz-e-janaza was held at the Dhaka University Central Jame Mosque today around 10:30am. Among those present were Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan, former Mass Communication and Journalism professor Golam Rahman, and other teachers of the university.

His body is being taken to his ancestral home at Dhanua village of Shibpur upazila in Narsingdi, where he will be laid to rest.

Sakhawat Ali is survived by his wife, a daughter, a son, two grandchildren, and numerous students and admirers. His daughter, Sumona Sharmin, is an associate editor at Prothom Alo.

Born in 1941 in a distinguished family in Narsingdi, Sakhawat Ali began his career in journalism and worked for nearly a decade at several national dailies before joining academia.

He later joined the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at the University of Dhaka, where he taught generations of students and contributed significantly to the development of journalism education in the country. He also served as chairman of the department from 1976 to 1979.

He retired from the department in 2008, but continued to serve it for five more years as a supernumerary professor. Until his death, he remained associated with the department as an honorary professor.

Beyond the University of Dhaka, he also served as a part-time adviser to the Department of Journalism at Daffodil International University and as dean of the School of Social Science at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).

Sakhawat Ali played an active role in civil society as well. He was the founding president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and served as chairman of the Society for Environment and Social Development.

A respected scholar, he presented keynote papers at seminars in 15 countries and worked as a visiting scholar at Southern Illinois University in the United States. More than 30 of his research articles were published in national and international journals, with much of his work focusing on the interaction between journalism and politics.

He also served multiple terms as a member of the Bangladesh Press Council and was a member of the management board of the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB).