He would be among the leading personalities of any country of the world.

His death was a colossal and irreparable loss for the nation. No one would be able to fill his place as he was second to none in the engineering field, eminent personalities told The Daily Star yesterday.

They also described him as a dedicated, talented, patriotic, honest, and cordial person, as a pall of gloom descended on them after hearing the news of their friend's and colleague's death.

Prof Jamilur was not only the most eminent personality in the country's engineering community but also played a significant role in development of the country's infrastructure system. He was outstanding as a teacher, vice-chancellor, researcher, and administrator.

"It is our great misfortune to lose such a person today [yesterday]," Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus said in a Facebook post, adding, "My grief is that I have lost one of my closest friends. I am at a loss for words to console his family."

"I never imagined that I would wake from sleep to hear such terrible news.  The suddenness and magnitude of this bad news shook me deeply.

"Jamilur Reza Choudhury has been my friend for a long, long time. He has always been deeply involved in all my activities. Just today [yesterday], he was to preside over our advisory committee telephone meeting at midday. We had been preparing for that since yesterday [Monday]. Today, he is no more," said Grameen Bank founder Prof Yunus.

Jamilur Reza Choudhury was an extraordinary person. He had the ability to promptly grasp the essentials of any difficult subject or issue, and give excellent advice on it. His depth and breadth of knowledge on architecture was unparalleled; his personal integrity unquestioned.

"He would be among the leading personalities of any country of the world," said Prof Yunus, country's lone Nobel prize winner.

National Professor Rafiqul Islam said it was an irreparable loss for the nation. He was not only a teacher, or vice-chancellor, or an academic rather he was advisers of many mega projects.

Prof Jamilur was the chairman of the Panel of Experts (advising the government, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and OECF, Japan) for the Bangabandhu (Jamuna) Bridge.

He was also heading the International Panel of Experts for Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project.

Besides, he was acting as the chairman of the panel of experts in many other mega projects such as the First Dhaka Elevated Expressway PPP Project (21km), Karnaphuli Tunnel, Dhaka Subway, Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway Project (24km), and many others.

"You will not get a second man like him," Rafiqul told this newspaper.

"Another virtue of Jamilur's character was he was social. He was a wonderful person with great personality. Many will not understand what the country loses with his death," said Rafiqul, who along with Prof Jamilur, became the National Professor in June 2018.

Dhaka University Professor emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury said he could not believe Prof Jamilur was no more. "We used to meet during morning walk and he was a healthy man. How did this happen? He always remained busy with work and he was a resource of the country."

He said Prof Jamilur was an outstanding and talented engineer. He was also a successful planner and advisers of almost all big projects.

"Usually eminent engineers leave the country. But Jamilur was really exceptional. He stayed home and served the nation. He was not only a talented but also a patriotic person," Prof Serajul said.

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar, who is one of the childhood friends and schoolmates of Prof Jamilur, said he was shocked hearing the death news of Prof Jamilur.

He was a talented student and the most successful among all our friends and classmates. "To me, he was a successful teacher. His students feel proud to be his student. This is a great achievement of a teacher. His vacuum will never be filled," he said.

Completing his bachelor in civil engineering from Buet (then EPUET) in 1963, Prof Jamilur joined the Department of Civil Engineering as a lecturer the same year.

After his retirement from Buet in 2001, he was appointed as Brac University vice-chancellor, where he served until 2010. Since 2010, he had been the University of Asia Pacific VC.

He was an adviser to the caretaker government of Bangladesh in 1996.

CM Shafi Sami, chairman, Board of Trustees, University of Asia Pacific, said Prof Jamilur was a national figure of high stature. He made outstanding contributions to our national development as a brilliant engineer, consultant, and educationist of great repute.

He was a person of international distinction having earned tributes from many countries and organisations abroad, said Shafi, also a former diplomat.

For the University of Asia Pacific, he was a tower of strength … Prof Jamilur's passing is a colossal national loss and will create a vacuum that will be difficult to fill, he added.

Prof Jamilur had been the Buet alumni founding president since 2003.

His college and university friend Sadiqul Islam Bhuiyan, who is the secretary general of the Buet alumni, said he could not find words to express shock at the death.

"I have never seen such a person who is successful in his life and profession. He was a man of high values. I will never find such a man in my life. He was a loving friend. He used to take news of all of his friends. He was an honest, dedicated, and optimistic person.

 "He used to love his students and stood by them when needed," said Sadiqul.