Professor Jatin Sarker passes away

Eminent educationist and essayist Professor Jatin Sarker has passed away. He was 88.

He breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College (MMC) Hospital on Wednesday (August 13) afternoon.

His family member Rubel Sarker confirmed the death to Views Bangladesh.

Family members said that he had been suffering from old age-related problems for several months. In addition, he had been suffering from poly arthritis for a long time. A few months ago, he underwent surgery for several reasons. After recovering somewhat, he was living in his house in Netrokona.

Last June, while trying to bring a newspaper from the balcony in front of his bedroom, he fell and suffered a right femur neck fracture. He was then admitted to a hospital in the capital.

Jatin Sarker was born on August 18, 1936, in Chandapara village of Kendua in Netrokona. This former teacher of the Bengali department of Nasirabad College in Mymensingh, was involved in thoughtful literary practice, left politics and progressive movements for a long time. He served as the president of the Central Parliament of the Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Gosthi for two terms.

As a writer, Jatin Sarker won the Swadhinata Puraskar in 2010, the Bangla Academy Sahitya Padak in 2007, the Prothom Alo Book Award for the book ‘Pakistaner Janma-Mrityu Darshan’ in 2005, Dr. Enamul Haque Gold Medal, Khalekdad Chowdhury Sahitya Puraskar, Moniruddin Yusuf Sahitya Puraskar and many other awards.

After retiring in 2002 after more than 42 years of teaching, Jatin Sarker and his wife Kanan Sarker moved to their native district Netrokona.

His first book ‘Sahitter Kachhe Protyasha’ was published in 1985. After that, ‘Bangladesher Kobigaan,' ‘Bangalir Somajtantrik Oitijhyo’, ‘Sanskritir Sangram’, ‘Manabmon, Manabdharma O Somajbiplob’ were published one after another. In addition to these essay books, he also wrote a grammar book for children. ‘Golpe Golpe Byakaran’ published by Bangla Academy in 1994 is a significant addition to Bangladesh’s children’s literature and grammar books. He wrote four books in the Bangla Academy’s biographical books. They are ‘Kedarnath Majumdar’, ‘Chandrakumar De’, ‘Haricharan Acharya’, and ‘Sirajuddin Kasimpuri’. His edited books include ‘Rabindranath’s Sonar Tori, ‘Prosango Maulabad’ and ‘Jalal Geetika Samagura’. Apart from this, his notable books include 'Pakistaner Jonmo Mrittu Darshan,''Dwijatitotto, Niyatibad O and Bigyan Chetona', 'Sonskriti O Buddhijibi Somalochona', 'Sahitto Niye Nanakotha', etc.