Ekushey Padak winner Polan Sarker, who known as Alor Ferrywala, was laid to rest at his village home at Baushua village in Bagha upazila in Rajshahi on Saturday morning.
He was buried at his family graveyard at 10:30 am beside his wife's grave, reports UNB.
His namaj-e-janaza was held at the field of Harunur Rashid Shah Dwimukhi High School in the morning. Polan Sarker was the president of school managing committee of the school.
Deputy Commissioner S M Abdul Kader, Superintendent of Police Md Shahidullah, upazila nirbahi officer Shahin Reza, among others, attended the namaj-e-janaza.
Polan Sarkar, who used to distribute free books among people, passed away on Friday at the age of 98.
In 2008, he built a library on his own land at his village with assistance from Rajshahi Zilla Parishad. The library now has five different book distribution points at different villages.
Following his ideology, some youths of his village joined him to raise the book reading campaign.
Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended among the villagers as his death news spread and the people who loved him thronged at his home to have a last glimpse.
According to locals, Sarker was born in Bagatipara upazila under Natore district on September 10, 1921, but the death of his father forced her mother to move to her parents’ house in Bagha of Rajshahi.
Raised without a father, he could barely complete his primary education. But his thirst for knowledge was unquenchable.
He covered about 20 villages in Rajshahi spurring an innovative reading revolution in the region.
Local government officials, public representatives and a large number of people joined the janaza.