Obituary: Tourism Mentor Shahabuddin Ahmad Died

Shahabuddin Ahmad, an eminent personality of Barisal, a senior journalist and tourism expert, Publisher-Editor of “The Travel World” magazine and former Chief of the Planning Cell at the Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism died of cardiac arrest at the age of 89 on 21 June at 1:50 PM in Holly Family Red Crescent Hospital, Dhaka.

He has been buried at Banani Graveyard. On 24 June, Monday, a Dua-Mahfil will be held after Asar prayer for the salvation of the departed soul at Masque Al-Magfirah, Road-18, Sector-3, Uttara Model Town, Dhaka.

He survived by his wife and 3 daughters. He is the elder brother of Bir Bikram Mahbub Uddin Ahmed, who led the Guard of Honour to the newly formed Independent Government of Bangladesh at Mujibnagar and retired secretary to the Government of Bangladesh Dr. Mohammad Haroonur Rashid.

His career graph revolves around the tourism and journalism industries, making him an expert in those fields. He held diverse position starting as the Assistant Chief of the Pakistan Bureau of Tourism, Deputy Chief of the Tourism Cell at the Ministry of Defense in Pakistan, and post-Bangladesh Liberation at the Ministry of Commerce, Foreign Trade Division. He also served as Director of Public Relations at Bangladesh Bank, Director of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, Secretary to the Board of Directors at Bangladesh Services Ltd. (Sheraton Hotel, Dhaka). His pivotal role in shaping policies, laws, rules, and regulations within the tourism industry underscored his significant contributions. Ahmad dedicated his entire life to the advancement of tourism and travel, leaving a permanent mark on the industry with his work extending beyond borders. He was also honored with the prestigious PATA GOLD AWARD by the Pacific Asia Tourism Association in 2019, a testament to his dedication and excellence in the field. He was also the member and advisor of PATA Bangladesh Chapter since 1983.