Acclaimed Bangladeshi sculptor and educator Professor Hamiduzzaman Khan, regarded as a trailblazer in modern sculpture in the country, has passed away at the age of 79.

He died at Dhaka’s United Hospital around 10:30 am on Sunday (July 20), according to his family sources.

Professor Khan had been admitted to the hospital the previous week with severe pneumonia and dengue. 

His condition worsened over the days, and he was moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) before being placed on life support. Doctors pronounced him dead after life support was withdrawn.

His body will be taken to the Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University at 2:30 pm on Sunday to allow students, colleagues, and admirers to pay their last respects. 

His funeral prayers will be held after Asr at the university’s Central Mosque.

His wife, Ivy Zaman, earlier informed the press that he had been under intensive care for three days, with a medical board closely monitoring his condition since Thursday.

Born on 16 March 1946 in Sahasram village, Kishoreganj, Hamiduzzaman completed his BFA in 1967 from the East Pakistan College of Arts and Crafts. He earned a Master’s degree from MS University of Baroda in India in 1976.

From 1970 to 2012, he taught at the Sculpture Department of Dhaka University’s Faculty of Fine Arts.

Widely respected for his minimalist and expressionist sculptural language, Khan’s early breakthrough came with Ekattorer Shmorone in 1976. His sculpture Steps was later featured at the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seoul in 1988.

His notable public works include Songshoptok (Jahangirnagar University), Hamla (Sylhet Cantonment), Pakhi Poribar (Bangabhaban), and Shantir Payra (Dhaka University TSC).

In recognition of his contributions, he received the Ekushey Padak in 2006 and a Bangla Academy fellowship in 2023.

Hamiduzzaman is survived by his wife Ivy Zaman and two sons. Tributes have poured in from across Bangladesh’s art community, mourning the loss of a master sculptor and visionary artist.

SMS/