Famed poet Helal Hafiz's physical condition has deteriorated. He has not been able to eat for the last two weeks. 

Hafiz told The Daily Star on Sunday morning, "I live alone. Taking care of myself and moving about has proved difficult. There are kidney problems, glaucoma, diabetes, and neurological problems as well. I got scared when I ran a fever a few days ago. I quickly rushed to test for COVID-19. The report came negative yesterday afternoon. I am currently preparing to go to BSMMU for treatment."

Helal Hafiz was born on October 7, 1948 in Netrokona. In 1986, his first collection of poetry, Je Jale Agun Jwale ("The Water Where Fire Burns"), was published. He won the Bangla Academy Literary Award in 2014 for his poetry.