Murtaja Baseer

Murtaja Baseer (17 August 1932 – 15 August 2020) was a Bangladeshi painter. He was also a poet, short story writer, novelist, researcher, numismatist, and filmmaker. 
He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1980 by the Government of Bangladesh.
Baseer worked at University of Chittagong as an assistant professor and served until 1998.
Baseer has written several novels including "Ultramarine" (1954), "Kanch-er Pakhir Gaan" (1969), "Mitar Shangey Char Shandha" and "Amitakkhar". He was a regular contributor to literary journals like Dilruba, Samakal, and Saogat. His first published poem was "Parbe Na". 
Baseer was active in leftist politics during the 1950s and was sent to prison during the Pakistan government.
In 1987, he received a fellowship from British Council to carry out research on folk and traditional art of Bangladesh.
Baseer died from COVID-19 in Dhaka on 15 August 2020, aged 87.