Abu M. Mahiuddin Khan, MD

Abu M. Mahiuddin Khan, MD, passed away on Sunday January 1, 2023, at the Siegenthaler Center with his family at his side.  He was born in 1936 in Pabna, Bangladesh, where he graduated from Dacca (now Dhaka) Medical College in 1960, specializing in Internal Medicine. While in medical school, he traveled to areas impacted by monsoons and other disasters to provide medical treatment to those in need.  He also translated The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne into Bangla.

He married Rahima Khan in 1963 who then joined him in Ohio, USA, where he was gaining experience in an American hospital before returning to Bangladesh.  Those plans were sidelined by the arrival of their daughter, Maimun, who brought along a serious heart condition.  Maimun was followed by brothers Amin and Shams while the family resided in Rhode Island.  While there, the family was in the midst of arranging their return to Bangladesh.  Those plans were sidelined by the civil war that created Bangladesh and the family moved to Utica, NY.  In Utica, Dr. Khan worked for many years in the emergency room of St. Elizabeth Hospital then went on to serve as staff physician at the Utica Psychiatric Center until his retirement.

He was a founding member of the North American Bangladeshi Medical Association which provided scholarships to medical students in Bangladesh, a generous supporter of the Cornelia Street Mosque and what it expanded into, the Muslim Community Association of the Mohawk Valley.  He was passionate about helping people heal from medical challenges, enjoyed traveling and debating, and more than anything else, savoring his wife’s cooking.

He is survived by his wife, Rahima, daughter, Maimun, and son, Shams. He was predeceased by his son Amin, and grandcats, Baby and Rafi (who went to the Rainbow Bridge on December 23, 2022).

The family is deeply grateful to the excellent staff of the Seigenthaler Center in New Hartford, The Scala & Roefaro Funeral Home of Utica, and the Muslim Community Association of the Mohawk Valley congregation, for their compassion, care, and support during his final days.

All are welcome to attend Janazah, the Islamic funeral prayer, on Thursday, January 5, 2023, at 5:30 pm at The Scala & Roefaro Funeral Home, 1122 Culver Ave., Utica, followed by visitation with the family. His burial will be held in the Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Brentwood, MD., at the convenience of the family.