Noted journalist M Anwarul Haq, former president of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) and one of the founding members of Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB), passed away on Friday morning. He was 62.

Anwarul Haq suffered massive stroke at home around 5:30 am. He was taken to Labaid Hospital where doctors declared him dead at 6 am.

Anwar left behind wife, two sons, one daughter and a host of relatives, friends, colleagues and well-wishers to mourn his death, according to DRU and DCAB.

He was laid to rest at Azimpur graveyard after his first namaz-e-janaza at Sobhanbag Mosque and the second one at DRU.

He was the President of DRU in 2000 and 2001 and served as director of Public Affairs and Communications of Brac.

Prior to joining Brac in July 2007, Haq was minister (Press) at Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, India.

In his long career as a journalist, he was also the chief reporter, city editor, diplomatic and defence correspondent of The Daily Star.

DCAB President Raheed Ejaz and General Secretary Nurul Islam Hasib, on behalf of the executive committee, expressed their deep shock at the death of its founding member.

In a condolence message, they prayed for the departed soul and expressed sympathy for his bereaved family members. They also recalled his contributions towards establishing the DCAB.

A prolific journalist, he had interviewed many world leaders and heads of states including Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter of the USA, John Major of the UK, Dr Mahathir Mohammad of Malaysia, Manmohan Singh, IK Gujral, Deve Gowda and Pranab Mukherjee of India, Fidel Ramos and Corazon Aquino of the Philippines, Fuji Mori of Peru, Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan, SuleymanDemerial of Turkey, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Yasser Arafat of Palestine and former UN secretary general Kofi Annan.