Shamsur Rahman, a leading Bangladeshi poet who wrote about liberty and human dignity, died from heart and kidney failure at a state-run hospital Thursday, his family and doctors said. He was 76.
Rahman had been in coma for 12 days at Dhaka's Bangabandhu Medical College Hospital.
Thousands of mourners, including writers in tears, thronged at the hospital to pay tribute to Rahman. They placed flowers at his body draped in a white sheet.
With more than 60 books of poetry to his credit, Rahman's contribution to Bangladeshi literature was huge.
A graduate of English literature from Dhaka University, he had a long career as a journalist and was the editor of a now defunct state-run national daily, Dainik Bangla and the weekly Bichitra. He won numerous awards including Bangla Academy Award (1969), Ekushey Padak (1977) and Swadhinata Award (1991) - the country's highest civilian awards.
Rahman was born in Dhaka on Oct. 24, 1929.
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