Renowned writer and leftist thinker Badruddin Umar dies

Badruddin Umar, a writer, researcher and prominent leftist intellectual, died of old-age complications at Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in the capital this morning. He was 94. "Umar passed away at 10:05 am today after a long struggle with age-related complications," the Jatiya Mukti Council said in a statement. 

Umar began his career as a part-time lecturer at Dhaka University before founding the Department of Sociology at Rajshahi University. He was president of the Bangladesh Krishok Federation and served as central coordinator of the Gonotantrik Biplobi Jote.

A longtime Marxist thinker, he was once a member of the central committee of the Purba Banglar Communist Party. In 2003, Umar established the Jatiya Mukti Council, where he served as president until his death.