"Principal of Dhaka Ramkrishna Math (monastery) and Ramkrishna Mission breathed his last today at (Dhaka's) Apollo Hospital," the Mission said in an announcement.

Clerics close to Aksharananda told PTI that the leading religious figure was kept under artificial life support since he suffered a hemorrhage two weeks ago. He was previously undergoing treatment for kidney ailments.

Born at Khurda village of southwestern Satkhira in 1929, Aksharananda joined Ramkrishna Mission in Narendrapur of Kolkata in 1950 and subsequently turned to asceticism in 1959.
He returned to Bangladesh in 1972 to join a succour campaign in the war-ravaged Bangladesh to rehabilitate the distressed people and subsequently became the Principal of Dhaka Ramkrishna Mission, serving in this position for 37 years.

His body has been kept on Dhaka Ramkrishna Mission premises for public viewing until tomorrow when he would be cremated at Rajarbag Baradeswari Kali Mandir crematory.
Hundreds of his admirers and followers thronged the mission to pay their last respects to him.