Emeritus Professor Najma Chowdhury No More

Emeritus Professor of Dhaka University Najma Chowdhury died of Covid-19 at Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in the capital on Sunday morning. She was 79.

Prof Ferdous Hossain, chairman of the Department of Political Science, Dhaka University (DU), confirmed the matter to media.

Najma was a professor of the Political Science department. She was the pioneer of women studies in Bangladesh — who established the Women and Gender Studies department at DU in 2000. She served the department as the founding chairperson for three years.

Prof Najma was also an adviser to the first caretaker government of Bangladesh in 1996.

She was honoured "Rokeya Chair" in 2007 by University Grants Commission (UGC) and received 'Ekushey Padak' for her outstanding contribution to research in 2008.

Najma Chowdhury's namaz-e-janaza (funeral prayers) would be held after Asar prayer at Gulshan Azad Mosque Sunday and she would be buried at Banani Graveyard afterwards, her family members said.