ZCZC
BSS-40
LUTU-QULKHWANI
Hundreds join Dr Litu’s Qulkhwani
DHAKA, Jan 21, 2019 (BSS) – The qulkhwani of eminent cardiologist
Professor Dr Rakibul Islam Litu was held today at his Uttara residence
seeking his eternal peace three days after he breathed his last following a
massive heart attack only at age 52.
Emotion gripped the scene and scores of admirers including his patients,
fellow doctors, friends, relatives and ordinary people joined the prayers
recalling his extraordinary dedication to the profession and care for
particularly poor people that prompted him to launch Bangladesh Patient
Welfare Foundation.
The qulkhwani also drew a huge number of people from different professions
including politicians, senior officials, businessmen, policemen, shopkeepers
and residents in the neighbourhood.
Litu served as the founder general secretary of the foundation aimed to
stand by poor patients with serious ailments who lacked money for their
appropriate treatments by generating funds from affluent people including
rich patients.
He also spearheaded a crucial campaign for the health service reforms
benefitting both doctors and patients at grassroots and make accountable the
physicians regarding their professional responsibilities that earned him the
repute of being the “poor men’s doctor”.
Litu was last serving as the head of the cardiology department of Adhunik
Medical College Hospital and director and chief cardiologist of Lubana
General Hospital in Uttara.
He left behind his wife Rokeya Parveen Shimu and three minor sons Namir,
Numair and Nayef, aged between seven and 11. Litu, hailed from Boalmari
village of Chuadanga’s Alamdanga upazila, was youngest of four brothers and
two sisters.
Fellow doctors said excessive professional works and stress broke his
health, exposing eventually to the cardiac failure giving little scopes to
leading cardiologists and other doctors to help him out as he breathed his
last at Lab Aid Hospital on January 18.
A huge number of people had crowded at the hospital, his two namaj-e-
janazas in Uttara and eventually his burial at Uttara Sector 12 graveyard
after Asha prayers on the same day.
Uttara Adhunik Medical College Hospital staged yesterday a memorial
meeting at their premises where the doctors and staff paid their tributes to
Litu while Lubana Hospital will arrange another condolence rally at their
premises after asr prayers on January 25.
BSS/TA/AR/1955 hrs