Internationally famed political scientist and international relations expert Professor Ishtiaque Hossain died on Sunday in his current workplace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where he was a faculty at the International Islamic University of Malaysia. He was 71.
"He was suffering from kidney complications but died after a massive heart attack at his house in Kuala Lumpur," a close relative said adding preparations were underway to bury him at the Malaysian capital.
Ishtiaque left behind his wife and survived by a son and a daughter.
He was teaching and conducting research on international relations and security studies at South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East while he made his debut in teaching profession joining Dhaka University's International Relations Department, from where he obtained his master's degree.
Ishtiaque later joined Jahangirnagar University's Government and Politics Department as a political science professor.
Ishtiaque also worked as a faculty or visiting professor at National University of Singapore, George Washington University in the United States and University of Waikato in New Zealand, Singapore Institute of Management and Carleton University in Canada.
He obtained his second master's degree from Carleton writing a thesis on Dependence and Diversification: Foreign Policy of Bangladesh, 1971-1977.
National University of Singapore conferred him with the doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree for his thesis on Vietnam and its Indochinese Neighbours: Evolution of A Special Relationship.
Ishtiaque received several international academic awards including Bronze Medal, Long-Service Teaching Award and Bangladesh University Grants Commission Award for outstanding researches and publications.
