Metropolitan University Expresses Deep Mourning at the Death of Eminent Writer and Academic Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam
Metropolitan University family has expressed profound grief at the passing of Emeritus Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, a distinguished academic, fiction writer, and essayist. He passed away on Friday (October 10) at 5:00 PM while undergoing treatment at LabAid Hospital in Dhaka. Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’un.
Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, who served as an Emeritus Professor in the Department of English at the University of Dhaka, was also a member of the Board of Trustees, Syndicate, and Academic Council of Metropolitan University.
In a joint condolence statement, Metropolitan University’s Founder and Chairman Emeritus Dr. Toufique Rahman Chowdhury and Chairman of the Board of Trustees Tanvir M.O. Rahman Chowdhury expressed deep sorrow and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
“Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam was a reflective and scholarly personality,” the statement read. “He has left an indelible mark in the field of Bangla fiction through his creative brilliance. As a revered teacher, he has inspired generations of students, and the academic community of the nation remains indebted to him.”
They further stated, “Professor Islam was closely associated with the Metropolitan University family and played an active role in the institution’s progress. His passing has deeply saddened us all.”
The Metropolitan University community prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed sympathy to his grieving family.
Born on January 18, 1951, in Sylhet, Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam was the son of Syed Amirul Islam and Rabeya Khatun. He completed his secondary education from Sylhet Government Pilot High School in 1966 and higher secondary education from Sylhet MC College. Later, he pursued his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English from the University of Dhaka.
In 1981, he earned his Ph.D. from Queen’s University, Canada, with his doctoral research focusing on The Influence of Emanuel Swedenborg’s Philosophy on the Poetry of W.B. Yeats.
Throughout his distinguished career, Professor Islam made remarkable contributions to literature and education. He received the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1996 and the Ekushey Padak in 2018 for his outstanding contribution to Bangla literature.
His death marks an irreparable loss for Bangladesh’s literary and academic community, as well as for the Metropolitan University family who cherished his wisdom, guidance, and enduring legacy.