Dhaka, Oct. 3 -- winning eminent language movement veteran Ahmad Rafiq passed away in the capital's BIRDEM Hospital on Thursday at 10:12 pm. He was 96.

His special assistant Md Russel confirmed the news, saying Rafiq breathed his last at 10:12 pm. Hospital authorities said he had been on life support and suffered a cardiac arrest before his death.

The veteran intellectual was admitted to BIRDEM's Intensive Care Unit on Wednesday after his condition deteriorated. Doctors said he had been battling kidney complications and suffered several mild strokes in recent months.

Earlier on September 11, he was discharged from LabAid Hospital and later admitted to Health and Hope Hospital in Panthapath. Due to the lack of required facilities there,...