Prof Sakhawat Ali Khan, a pioneering figure in journalism education in Bangladesh and a longtime teacher at the University of Dhaka, passed away at 1:00 a.m. on Monday at Universal Medical College Hospital, Dhaka. He was 85. Family members said he had suffered a stroke a few days earlier, and despite treatment at home, his condition worsened late Sunday night. He was rushed back to the hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Prof Khan’s first janaza (funeral prayer) was held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the Central Mosque of the University of Dhaka. The ceremony was attended by the university’s Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Prof Mamun Ahmed, Daily Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, Executive Editor Sajjad Sharif, faculty members, students, and well-wishers. Following the prayers, his body was taken to his ancestral home in Dhanua village, Shibpur Upazila, Narsingdi district, where the second janaza was conducted and he was laid to rest in the family graveyard.
Born in 1941 in Narsingdi, Prof Sakhawat Ali Khan began his career in journalism, working for nearly a decade in national newspapers before joining academia. He later joined the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at the University of Dhaka, where he taught generations of students and contributed significantly to the development of journalism education in Bangladesh. He served as chairman of the department from 1976 to 1979. Even after retiring in 2008, he remained associated with the department as a supernumerary and honorary professor.
Outside Dhaka University, Prof Khan served as a part-time adviser to the Department of Journalism at Daffodil International University and as dean of the School of Social Science at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. He was also active in civic affairs, serving as founding president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh and chairman of the Society for Environment and Social Development.
A respected scholar, Prof Khan presented keynote papers at seminars in different countries and served as a visiting scholar at Southern Illinois University, United States. More than 30 of his research articles were published in national and international journals, many focusing on journalism and politics. He also served as a member of the Bangladesh Press Council and was on the governing board of the Press Institute of Bangladesh.
Prof Sakhawat Ali Khan is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter, and two grandchildren. His daughter, Sumona Sharmin, works as an associate editor at Daily Prothom Alo.
University of Dhaka Mourns the Loss
Following Prof Khan’s passing, the Academic Committee of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University unanimously adopted a condolence resolution. The meeting began with a one-minute silence in his memory, and prayers were offered for the departed soul and condolences extended to his bereaved family.
The department has announced plans to hold a memorial ceremony for Prof Khan after the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, allowing both current and former students, colleagues, and well-wishers to pay tribute to his contributions to journalism education over five decades.
