Acclaimed poet,author and playwright Syed Shamsul Haq, who died Tuesday, was nowhere near his swansong, Culture Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor says.
“Syed Haq was a busy and regular writer even to his last day as he used to say he has a lot left to write,” the minister said. “It was hard to believe that his zest for life was interrupted so abruptly.”
The minister rushed to United Hospital at the news of the demise of the maverick.
Holding back tears while interacting with journalists at the hospital in the evening, Noor said, “We had never thought we’d lose him so soon.”
“The life expectancy in Bangladesh has increased now, and for a man as disciplined as he was …it (his death) is quite unexpected,” he said with tears in his eyes.
Bangladesh’s premier writer was diagnosed with lung cancer in London in April this year. After three months of treatment he returned home on Sep 1.
