Dhaka: Veteran journalist Amanullah Kabir died at a hospital here early Wednesday. He was 72.

The veteran journalist had been suffering from various diseases and breathed his last at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) around 1:00 am while undergoing treatment there, reports the UNB.

Amanullah Kabir was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the BSMMU on January 2 with complications in kidney and liver.

On January 5, he was admitted to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases after he suffered a massive heart attack. He was later taken to the coronary care unit from the emergency unit.

He left behind wife, two daughters, three sons and a host of relatives to mourn his death.

His first namaz-e-janaza was held at Kalaynpur Darussalam Furfura Sharif mosque. Later, his body was taken to the Jatiya Press Club around 11:30 am where his second janaza was held. Various organisations of journalists paid their last respects to the eminent journalist there.

Family sources said Amanullah Kabir, also the former member of the Jatiya Press Club Managing Committee, will be buried at his family graveyard in Melandaha upazila in Jamalpur after another janaza there.

Amanullah Kabir had been working as senior editor of online news portal bdnews24.com.

He served as executive editor of the Independent, news editor of The Daily Star, editor of Bangla Daily Amar Desh, and chief editor and managing director of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

Meanwhile, JPC President Saiful Alam and General Secretary Farida Yasmin expressed deep shock at the death of Amanullah Kabir. They also conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) expressed profound shock at his death.

In a joint statement, BFUJ and DUJ leaders said a vacuum has been created in the field of journalism at his death. ‘He was not only a journalist but also a torchbearer of journalism. The death of Amanullah Kabir, who had been working for realising the rights of journalists, is a great loss to the journalist community.’

They prayed for salvation of the departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family members.