Veteran journo Negaban passes away

Veteran journalist, lawyer, and former president of Barishal Press Club, Advocate Md. Ismail Hossain Negaban Montu, passed away on Saturday morning while undergoing treatment for heart disease at Bangladesh Medical University Hospital. He was 73.

He is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter, and numerous relatives and colleagues. 

Family sources confirmed that his funeral prayer (Janaza) will be held at the Amanatganj TB Hospital grounds following the Isha prayers on Saturday. 

He will be buried alongside his parents at the city's Muslim Graveyard.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahiruddin Swapon expressed deep sorrow over the death of the senior journalist and extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. 

The Barishal Press Club has declared a three-day mourning period, during which black flags will be raised and members will wear black badges in his honor.

Montu's longtime colleague and Barishal Press Club Vice President, Md. Zakir Hossain, noted that the veteran journalist had been suffering from various physical complications and had recently undergone major surgery. Although the surgery was successful, subsequent complications led to a severe drop in his white blood cell count.

With a career spanning over four decades, Ismail Hossain Negaban Montu was a prominent figure in both journalism and the legal profession. He served as the president and general secretary of both the Barishal Press Club and the District Bar Association. He was also the founding president of the Barishal Reporters’ Unit.

Until his death, he served as the Barishal correspondent for the English daily "The Daily Observer" and was previously a chief government pleader in the Barishal Civil Court. 
Throughout his long career, his writings highlighted the struggles, social realities, and prospects of the people in southern Bangladesh. 

The Daily Observer family expressed profound grief and extended their sympathy to his family.