Eminent artist Murtaja Baseer passed away this morning at 9:10am. He was 88.

He was undergoing treatment at the ICU unit of Evercare Hospital in Dhaka since Thursday night. His elder daughter Munira Baseer confirmed the news to The Daily Star.

He was admitted to the hospital due to severe respiratory problem and reduction of oxygen consumption rate, along with other old age problems.

Doctors confirmed that he was Covid-19 positive last night.

His namaz-e-janaza will  be held after Asr prayers today and he will be buried at Banani Graveyard.

The artist was born in 1932. He joined Dacca Art College (now the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka) as a student in 1949.

Baseer studied mosaic and etching at Beaux Arts in Paris. In 1973, Baseer returned to Bangladesh and joined Chittagong University as an assistant professor. He retired from teaching in 1998.

The maestro received numerous awards including country's highest civilian awards -- Ekushey Padak and Swadhinata Padak.