FT ONLINE

Dr Rafiqul Islam, who contributed to the development of oral rehydration solution (ORS) has passed awayat the age of 82.

The former chief physician of icddr,b breathed his last at Apollo Hospitals Dhaka on Monday morning.

He was suffering from old age complications and also suffered a heart attack last month.

His invention has saved many lives worldwide reducing the deaths in dehydrating and fatal diarrhea.

British medical journal The Lancet called ORS potentially the most important medical advance of the 20th century.

ORS was approved by the World Health Organziation (WHO) and now it is distributed by UNICEF in many countries.

Born in 1936 in Comilla’s Chauddagram, Rafiqul completed his MBBS from Dhaka Medical College.

Later he joined icddr,b in 1960s and continued there till 2000. He completed his higher studies on tropical medicine and hygiene in England.