Ekushey Award recipient poet and architect Rabiul Husain passed away at a hospital in the city on November 26. He was 76.

Rabiul Husain was admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) on November 16. He had been suffering from blood infection and thyroid gland complexity. He breathed his last at 8 am at the Critical Coronary Unit (CCU).

Born on January 31, 1943, Rabiul graduated from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). He authored over 25 books of poetry, essay, novel and children's books.

As an architect, Rabiul designed many residential, institutional and public buildings. He is one of the leading architects of the '70s, an era marked by accomplishments and revolutionary ideas. Outside his career, he served as president of The Institute of Architects, Bangladesh (IAB) for four terms, served as vice-chairman of ARCASIA (Architects Regional Council of Asia), served as vice-president of CAA (Commonwealth Association of Architects) and served as president of SAARCH ( South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation of Architects). He was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award of Berger Award for Excellence in Architecture.

Rabiul attended as juror and speaker in many seminars, art and architecture exhibitions, competitions, architecture biennial and triennials in our country and abroad. He frequently wrote for the artists' brochures, art and architecture journals and creative publications.

Rabiul Husain, emerging as a poet in the 1960s, is a recognised figure in our literary circle. His poetry has superbly documented pains, agonies, weal and woe of human beings, historical and political episodes in our country. His poems are distinguished for their highly expressive and communicative, poignant and symbolic traits. For inspiration, Rabiul veered towards human life and their varied social and cultural aspects, patriotism, political ups and downs. His poems are courageous, thought-provoking and intellectually rich. As an experimental poet, he frequently changed his technique, mode and overall substance. His verses are soothing, informative and have the ability to fascinate the readers.

In his adolescent years, Rabiul used to write for leading women's magazines 'Begum' and 'Lolona' under the pen name 'Laily Husain' (which was actually the name of one of his sisters). From 1965 to 1967, some of his friends and he published a little magazine 'Na,' which created ripples as a literary journal. Essays, poems, short stories and more could be found in the magazine. Kazi Sayeed Hussain, Rashid Chowdhury, Mahbub Hussain Khan and other renowned writers contributed to this little magazine. After several years, Rabiul started to contribute to a noted literary journal, which was published from the southern part of the country.