Piash Karim, a professor of Brac University's economics and social sciences department making frequent appearances in television talkshows, passed away yesterday. He was 56.

Meanwhile, Chhatra Sangram Parishad, a platform of seven student bodies, fervently opposed Piash's cousin's announcement that the body will be taken to Central Shaheed Minar tomorrow for mourners to pay their last respects.

The announcement also drew flak in social networking sites, including Facebook.

The parishad, in a press release, said Piash had taken a stance in favour of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir, made "derogatory remarks" about the Shahbagh movement which demanded capital punishment for war criminals, and made "adverse remarks" on the trial procedure of the International War Crimes Tribunal.

The parishad also declared to stay with general students on the Central Shaheed Minar premises to prevent any such attempt.

Piash's cousin Iqbal Chowdhury told The Daily Star that his family took him to Square Hospital Ltd around 4:30am from his Dhanmondi residence in the capital as he was feeling unwell since Sunday evening and had vomited at midnight. Duty doctors said he had died by the time he was brought to the hospital, he added.

The namaz-e-janaza would be held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Zohr prayers tomorrow and the body would be kept at the hospital's mortuary till Piash's three elder sisters arrive from abroad and decide where to bury him, he said.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia expressed deep condolences at the death. Senior BNP leaders including, acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and civil society members went to his residence.

Different political organisations also condoled his death.

Piash obtained his PhD in sociology from Kansas State University, USA. His area of specialisation includes political economy, political sociology, nationalism and social theory, according to the university website.

He held faculty positions at the University of Nebraska at Kearny and Culver-Stocketon College, Missouri for 17 years before joining Brac University in 2007.

His passion focused on civil society and media activism and his writings have been published in national and international journals.

His son lives in Dhaka while his wife is Amena Mohsin of Dhaka University's international relations department.

Yesterday, leaders of the parishad met Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique at his office and demanded that he not permit the body to be taken to Central Shaheed Minar.

Bappaditya Basu, president of Bangladesh Chhatra Moitree, one of the parishad's components, said, “The spirit of the Liberation War will be demeaned if his body is taken there.”

Prof Arefin said Piash's family had not sought any permission yet and they will take the issue into consideration seriously.