DHAKA: Journalist Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, former managing director and chief editor of national news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), died in a road accident at Kawran bazaar intersection in the city Saturday night. He was 65.
Zaglul sustained serious injuries when he tripped over while getting down from a bus at the intersection on his way to join a television talk show.
He was rushed to nearby Mohna clinic, immediately shifted to Comfort Hospital on Green Road where on-duty doctors declared him dead.
His body was kept at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital mortuary.
The international affairs analyst was on his way to attend a talk show at a private satellite television channel’s office at Karwan Bazar minutes before 8:00pm when the incident took place, said Bhorer Kagoj editor Shyamol Dutt, another guest of talk show.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in separate condolence messages, expressed their deep shock at the demise of Zaglul and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family members.
Other cabinet members including Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim and Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, separately, also condoled Zaglul’s death and extended their deep sympathy to his family members.
People from different profession including journalists mourn Zaglul’s death.
Life Sketch
Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, the longest serving journalist in the BSS, during his nearly 35 years of uninterrupted association with the agency, served as diplomatic correspondent, special correspondent, head of BSS parliamentary team, in-charge of the human rights desk and foreign editor.
He was BSS regional correspondent based in New Delhi in the early eighties, where he was also a member of the executive committee of the Foreign Correspondents' Club.
Zaglul was also familiar with media, political and diplomatic circles in several South Asian nations. He was associated with several prominent foreign media such as the TIME magazine, JIJI Press of Japan, Times of India, Qatar News Agency and ABC News, New York.
He was also the president of the Overseas Correspondents' Association of Bangladesh (OCAB) twice.
He was one of the best-known analyst of international scenario, particularly South Asian affairs, in the premier national English and Bengali newspapers and popular television channels.
He also occasionally gave lectures on current affairs in Public Officers' Training Academy (PATC), Defence Staff College and public and private universities.
Zaglul was closely involved with Dhaka University Alumni Association and is publicity secretary of SM Hall Old Students' Association.
He was a former secretary general and presently a council member of the Commonwealth Society of Bangladesh, a non-political forum of eminent citizens, and a member of the executive committee of the Commonwealth Journalists' Association.
He was also the assistant secretary general of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) in 1977-78.
Zaglul represented Bangladesh in the United Nations General Assembly where he addressed the special political committee as a delegate.
He also covered several Non-Aligned Movement, Common-wealth, Islamic and SAARC summits.
Life Sketch’s Courtesy: BSS
BDST: 2325 HRS, Nov 29, 2014/UPDATE 0830 HRS, NOV 30, 2014
