DHAKA, April 19, 2024 (BSS)- Valiant freedom fighter Shib Narayan Das, who
had designed the first flag of Bangladesh just before the independence,
passed away this morning while undergoing treatment at a city hospital.

He was 78.

"Das breathed his last at 9.25am at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in the city," said a
release here today.

On April 1, Shib Narayan Das was admitted at the Samorita Hospital with
respiratory ailment and later shifted to the BSMMU following advice of the
physicians, it added.

"My father's body has been kept at the BIRDEM mortuary as his body will be
donated here and his cornea will be donated to Sandhani, a voluntary
organisation run by medical college students that manages blood and organ
donations," said his son Arnob Aditya Das.

He is survived by his wife, a son and numerous admirers, relatives, well-
wishers and colleagues to mourn his death.

Shib Narayan joined politics following the language movement hero
Dhirendranath Dutta. He participated in the education movement of 1962 and
was imprisoned.

The Liberation War of the country was started first with the flag containing
the country's map that was designed by Shib Narayan Das who was then student
leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League.

The Bangladesh flag was first hoisted in front of the Arts Building of Dhaka
University (DU) on March 2, 1971 by the student leaders.

On June 6, 1970, a group of Chhatra League leaders had designed the flag at
the room no-118 of the then Iqbal Hall, now named as Sergeant Zahurul Huq
Hall, of the Dhaka University for the 'Joy Bangla Bahini'.

In a condolence message, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JASAD President Hasanul
Haque Inu and its General Secretary Shirin Akhtar expressed profound shock
and sorrow at the demise of one of the prominent flag designers and conveyed
deep sympathy to the bereaved family.