Dr Abdul Majid Molla, one of the pioneering researchers behind Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and Rice ORS, and a distinguished figure in paediatrics and global public health, has passed away in Dhaka.

The scientist breathed his last on May 8 at the age of 85, according to an icddr,b press release.

Abdul Majid is survived by his wife, a son, and two daughters to mourn his death. His wife, Dr Ayesha Molla, was also a valued member of the icddr,b community, serving as an associate scientist.

Born in 1941, Abdul Majid devoted his life to improving child health, advancing diarrhoeal disease research, and strengthening medical education across South Asia and beyond.

In 1965, he joined the then Pak-SEATO Cholera Research Laboratory (CRL), shortly after completing his MBBS degree from Dhaka Medical College in 1963.

In 1975, he completed his PhD at the University of Leuven, Belgium, focusing on celiac disease in children with diarrhoea, while also specialising in paediatrics.

He rejoined icddr,b as a scientist in 1978, continuing his work in clinical research, patient care, and child health.

The scientist was widely respected for his devotion to patient care and his commitment to scientific excellence. His significant contributions to clinical research leading to the development of Rice ORS remain among the landmark achievements in diarrhoeal disease management.

In the mid-1980s, he joined Aga Khan University as a professor and chair of the Department of Paediatrics. He later joined Kuwait University as professor of paediatrics in 1992, continuing his contributions to medical education and child health internationally.

During a defining period in the history of diarrhoeal disease research, Professor Majid became part of a generation of scientists and clinicians whose work contributed to transforming the treatment of dehydration and saving millions of lives worldwide. His contributions to ORS and Rice ORS helped advance one of the most important public health innovations in modern medicine.