President Visits Professor Sukomal Barua at CMH; Army Chief Had Visited Earlier

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has inquired after the health of Dr Sukomal Barua, Emeritus Professor of the Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies at the University of Dhaka, who is undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka. After being briefed on the progress of the treatment, the President stressed the need to ensure the highest standard of medical care for the professor.

The President went to the CMH on Thursday morning (22 October) accompanied by his wife. There he asked about Professor Sukomal Barua's physical condition and spoke with the doctors treating him.

The President was briefed on the overall progress of the treatment and the procedures being followed. He directed those concerned to continue the necessary medical care and to ensure the highest quality of treatment for Professor Barua.

Earlier, on 19 October, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman visited Professor Barua at the CMH. He too inquired about the professor's health and asked about the progress of his treatment, and the doctors on duty briefed him on various aspects of the care.

In addition, the Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, the State Minister for Cultural Affairs and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, along with senior military and civilian officials, have visited Professor Sukomal Barua at the hospital.

Professor Barua was admitted to the CMH on the evening of 20 September with pneumonia and other physical ailments. He has been undergoing treatment there for more than a month.

Dr Sukomal Barua, Emeritus Professor of the Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies at the University of Dhaka, is a distinguished educationist and scholar of Buddhism in the country. He has been involved in teaching and research for a long time.

He has made special contributions to the study and research of the Pali language, Buddhism and Buddhist heritage. As a successful researcher, he is well known nationally and internationally.

He received the Ekushey Padak for education in 2006 and the Independence Award, the country's highest civilian honour, for research and training in 2026. These recognitions have placed him in a distinguished position among the country's senior educationists.

Family members, colleagues, students and well-wishers have wished Professor Sukomal Barua a speedy recovery. They hope he will return to normal life soon after completing his treatment.

The visits by the President and the Army Chief have drawn renewed attention to the professor's treatment. Everyone now awaits the doctors' next update — if his condition continues to improve, the family's and students' main hope is to know when he will be able to return home.