Today marks the 5th death anniversary of Bir Muktijoddha Md. Imamul Kabir Shanto — a revered freedom fighter, visionary entrepreneur, and a pioneer of creative and vocational education in Bangladesh.
The late Md. Imamul Kabir Shanto was the founding Chairman of the Shanto-Mariam Foundation, Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology, and Sundarban Courier Service (Pvt.) Ltd. He passed away on May 30, 2020, at the age of 66, and was laid to rest with full state honors at Banani Graveyard in Dhaka.
Born on February 11, 1954, in Nakhalpara, Dhaka, Shanto hailed from a humble middle-class Muslim family. At just 17 years old, he joined the Liberation War of Bangladesh, demonstrating immense courage in the nation’s fight for independence. In the years that followed, he dedicated his life to addressing the country’s urgent need for employment and education by establishing institutions focused on creative and job-oriented learning.
Among his many lasting contributions are the founding of the Shanto-Mariam Academy and Institute of Creative Technology, Shanto-Mariam School of Creative Technology, the national daily Ajker Prottasha, and Shantonibash, a rehabilitation center for children and the elderly. He also played a vital role in establishing numerous mosques, madrasas, and orphanages throughout the country.
To honor his legacy, a series of philanthropic and religious programs were organized. These included the donation of medical supplies to hospitals, surgeries and radiation therapy for children with brain tumors, open-heart surgeries for infants, free eye care services, and the inauguration of a new cemetery adjacent to the Imamul Kabir Jame Masjid in Sinabaha, Gazipur. Floral tributes were also placed at his grave.
Additionally, a two-day Qur’an recitation (Khatm-e-Qur’an), memorial publications, discussion events, food distribution among the underprivileged, and special Milad and Doa Mahfils were held by the institutions he established.
His family, along with the Shanto-Mariam Foundation and its affiliated institutions, have requested prayers from all for the eternal peace of his departed soul.
