DHAKA, March 15, 2024 (BSS) - Qulkhwani of Prime Minister's Press Secretary, eminent journalist and 1971 veteran Ihsanul Karim Helal was held after Jumna prayers at Azad Mosque in the capital's Gulshan today. 

Special prayers were offered seeking eternal peace of the departed soul on the occasion.
 
Prime Minister's Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury Bir Bikram, former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad, Awami League lawmaker Akhtaruzzaman, BSS Managing Editor Anisur Rahman, BFUJ-Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President and BSS Chief News Editor Omar Faruque, Ihsanul Karim's family members and relatives were present, among others.
 
On behalf of Ihsanul Karim's family, his son sought doa from all for his father. He said his father worked for well-being of the people throughout his life.
  
Ihsanul Karim breathed his last at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) around 8.00 pm on March 10 at the age of 74. He was under life-support with multiple-organ complications.
 
He was laid to eternal rest with state honour at the Banani graveyard following a Namaz-e-Janaza at Gulshan Society Mosque in the city on March 11. 

Ihsanul Karim is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son.
 
Born in November, 1949 to a respectable Muslim family in Kushtia district, Ihsanul Karim obtained his master's degree in economics from Dhaka University and Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the same university. 

Later Karim also received post graduate degree on Development Journalism from Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). He was president of IIMC Alumni Association, Bangladesh chapter until his death. 

Karim joined the Liberation War in 1971 and fought in the western frontier as a member of the Bangladesh Liberation Force (BLF).
 
On June 15, 2015 he was appointed as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's press secretary for one year on contract basis and the appointment was extended for three years on June 16 in 2016. His appointment as the PM's press secretary was extended for another three years from June 18, 2019. 

Prior to his appointment in the Prime Minister's Office, Karim served as the press secretary to the President and ahead of that, he served as the chief editor and managing director of national news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), where he made his debut in the career as a staff reporter in 1972. 

He also served as New Delhi correspondent of BSS in India for five years.
 
During his long career in journalism, Karim also served several foreign media like Bangla service of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and Press Trust of India (PTI) as Bangladesh correspondent.