Asgar, Mohammad Ali

Asgar, Mohammad Ali (1939-2020) a prominent science fiction writer, scientist, and organizer. Dr. Mohammad Ali Asgar was born on 8 February 1939 in Shahazadpur, Sirajganj, Bangladesh. He obtained BSc (Hons) and MSc from Dhaka University in 1960 and 1962 respectively, and got PhD in Solid State Physics from Southampton University, England in 1970. He received Postdoc Commonwealth Staff Fellowship in England in 1982 and carried on research at Southampton University (1982-83). He also worked as Research Fellow at International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Italy, and International Programme in the Physical Sciences (IPPS), Uppsala University, Sweden.

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Mohammad Ali Asgar

Professor Asgar joined the bangladesh university of engineering and technology (BUET) in 1962, served as Professor and Head of Physics Department, Dean of Engineering Faculty, and Member of the Syndicate. He also hold a very honoured position of Professor Rashid Chair in BUET. Professor Ali Asgar was the Head of the Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Department at Gono Bishwabidyalay.

Dr. Asgar developed a modern magnetism laboratory in the Physics department, BUET, in collaboration with IPPS, Upsala University, Sweden, and formed the Dhaka Material Science Group for developing experimental facilities to prepare magnetic alloys, ferrites, magnetic thin films, amorphous magnetic materials, and nanostructured materials. Experimental facilities have been developed jointly with Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) for the study of primary and secondary intrinsic magnetic properties and structure-dependent properties for the basic understanding of co-operative magnetism and the technical magnetization process in different magnetic media and to develop hard, semi-hard, and soft magnetic materials for technological applications. Professor Ali Asgar has guided over thirty postgraduate theses for PhD and M.Phil degrees.

Professor Asgar received Doctor Moniruzzaman Gold Medal for contribution to Science, Doctor Kudrat-e-Khuda Gold Medal for Science Writings, Diploma Engineers’ Association Gold Medal for Science Popularization, Mercantile Bank Gold Medal for Contributions to Science and Technology; and Bangla Academy ‘Shahittya Purusker’.

He had over 80 papers published in national and international journals. He also authored twenty-six books on science, education, and development. He was Chief Editor of Journal of Physics; Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Science and Arts. Professor Asgar has written over five hundred popular articles about science in a bid to popularize understanding of this subject. He performed over a hundred television and radio programs on science. He was the Chairman of children's organization called ‘Khelaghar’.

Professor Ali Asgar was a Member of the National Education Committee (1997) and Convener of Science Education and Research Sub-Committee; Convener for the Revision of Technology Policy of Bangladesh; Member of the Governing Body, National Science and Technology Museum, Bangladesh. He was a member of the Senate, Rajshahi University; President and Secretary, Bangladesh Physical Society; Fellow of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (2004), and Fellow of Bangla Academy.

Professor Ali Asgar expired on 16 July 2020 and was buried at Uttara graveyard, Dhaka. [Yearul Kabir]