Renowned academic, journalist, and researcher Professor Dr Anwarul Karim passed away following a cardiac arrest at a city hospital on Saturday at 12:10pm. Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Raji’un. Dr Karim, aged 88 was admitted to Universal Medical Hospital in Dhaka four days prior to his death. He suffered a heart attack on Friday while undergoing treatment and was shifted to the hospital's Coronary Care Unit (CCU), his daughter Sultana Afroz confirmed.

He is survived by two sons, a daughter, six grandchildren and a host of relatives, friends, and admirers. His eldest son, Iftekhar Karim, served at the United Nations, while his younger son, Iqbal Karim, is a journalist. His only daughter, Sultana Afroz, and son-in-law Shams Al Muzaddid both are former secretaries to the government. Dr Karim lost his wife, Professor Syeda Amena Karim, in May 2009.

Dr Karim was laid to rest at the Kushtia Pourashava graveyard at around 10:30pm on Saturday following his third namaz-e-janaza. The first funeral prayer was held at Azad Mosque in Gulshan, followed by a second at Banani Mosque. His body was then taken to Kushtia for burial.

A respected figure in the country's intellectual and cultural landscape, Dr Karim served as Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer of Islamic University, Kushtia. He also taught at the Divinity School of Harvard University and later served as Pro-Vice Chancellor of Northern University, Bangladesh. He was a former Advisor Editor of The Daily Industry.

In 2004, he founded the Lalon Academy in Kushtia to promote the philosophy and music of the mystic bard Lalon Shah. A prolific writer, Dr Karim authored more than 60 books on spiritual and literary figures such as Lalon Shah, Rabindranath Tagore, and Kazi Nazrul Islam. His internationally acclaimed work, The Bauls of Bangladesh, is considered a landmark contribution to the preservation of the country's spiritual and folk heritage. He was a member of National Committee on Education and Culture during Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman Government.

On behalf of the family, his daughter Sultana Afroz requested prayers for the departed soul, saying: "Please keep him in your prayers. May Allah (SWT) grant him the highest place in Jannah and give us the strength to bear this irreparable loss."