Hundreds join Dr Litu’s milad mahfil
A milad mahfil for eminent cardiologist Professor Dr Rakibul Islam Litu was held today at his Uttara residence seeking his eternal peace who breathed his last following a massive heart attack only at age 52 on January 18.
Lubana General Hospital and Uttara Cardio Center jointly organised the programme.
Emotion gripped the scene as scores of admirers, including his patients, fellow doctors, friends, relatives and ordinary people joined the prayers recalling his extraordinary dedication to the profession and care for the patients particularly the poor that prompted him to launch Bangladesh Patient Welfare Foundation, BSS reports.
The mahfil also drew a huge number of people from different professions including politicians, senior officials, businessmen, policemen, shopkeepers and residents in the neighbourhood.
Prior to doa mahfil, a discussion was also held on the life of Dr Litu where Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Fazley Rabbi Mian took part.
“The country badly needs doctors possessing human qualities like renowned cardiologist and General Secretary of Patients Welfare Foundation Dr Litu,” he said.
Principal of Kotalipara Jamia Islamic Karbala Mosque Mawlana Zakir Hossain conducted the doa mahfil.
Shirin Akhter, MP, former secretary M Nazrul Islam, former secretary and ambassador Mohiuddin Ahmed, Chairman of Lubana General Hospital Professor Akhter Omar Hasan and its Managing Director M Jahirul Islam were present, among others.
Litu served as the founder general secretary of the foundation aimed to stand by poor patients with serious ailments who lacked money for their appropriate treatments by generating funds from affluent people.
He also spearheaded a crucial campaign for the health service reforms benefitting both doctors and patients at grassroots and make accountable the physicians regarding their professional responsibilities that earned him the repute of being the “poor men’s doctor”.
Litu was last serving as the head of the cardiology department of Adhunik Medical College Hospital and director and chief cardiologist of Lubana General Hospital in Uttara.
He left behind his wife Rokeya Parveen Shimu and three minor sons Namir, Numair and Nayef, aged between seven and 11. Litu, hailed from Boalmari village of Chuadanga’s Alamdanga upazila, was youngest of four brothers and two sisters.
Litu breathed his last at Labaid Hospital at Dhanmondi in the city on January 18 after a severe cardiac arrest.
He took a lead initiative in arranging higher medical examinations like FRCS and MRCP to enable doctors obtained the degrees in the country without going abroad.
