The academic community bid farewell to academician Prof. Dr. Šefkija Čekić

At the commemorative session held on24  September 2021 in the University of Sarajevo, family members, friends, colleagues and members of the academic community bid farewell to academician Prof. Dr. Šefkija Čekić who passed away at the age of 86.

About the life, work and merits of academician Prof. Dr. Šefkija Čekić, especially in the field of traffic and communications, spoke Prof. Dr. Amel Kosovac, Dean of the Faculty of Transport and Communications, University of Sarajevo, Mr. Emir Zlatar, Secretary General of the Council of the Congress of Bosniak Intellectuals and Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, University of Sarajevo Rector.

Prof. Dr. Amel Kosovac, Dean, pointed out that Prof. Čekić with more than a hundred scientific and professional papers, as well as a large number of books and university textbooks, left a huge and indelible mark in the scientific research activities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond, especially in the field of traffic and communications.

“He was a mentor to dozens of graduates, masters and doctoral students who remember him for his immense humanity, support and knowledge. The Bosnian society was left without a great expert, scientist, exceptional person, great friend, who with his scientific and professional results instructed future generations of the transport profession to continue to work for the benefit of society and our homeland,” said Dean Kosovac, adding that behind the distinguished academician The hammer remains a wide range of knowledge and wisdom that he selflessly transmitted.

Mr. Emir Zlatar, Secretary General of the Council of the Congress of Bosniak Intellectuals (VKBI), emphasized that Professor Čekić was one of the prominent members of the Council, with decades of member status, who with his social, academic and human authority promoted the goals of the Council. advocated that VKBI programs and projects should be more strongly supported.

“He was a member of the Management and Supervisory Board of the Council, as well as a participant in many public forums, round tables, scientific conferences organized by the Council. He made an exceptional contribution in the context of promoting the basic elements of the national identity of Bosniaks,” said Mr. Zlatar.

Rector, in address, Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj stated: “As sad and painful as this moment was for the University of Sarajevo, the entire academic community, the city of Sarajevo and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, let us remember once again the great visionary man and patriot Prof. Dr. Šefkija Čekić, a man whose work will surely resist the oblivion of time for a long time. Academician Šefkija Čekić was one of the best experts on the geo-traffic position of this area and he wholeheartedly advocated the development of the traffic infrastructure of our country throughout his working life. He was one of those intellectuals who constantly proposed and published the paths of development of our society.”

During the commemorative session, it was pointed out that Prof. Šefkija Čekić nurtured the idea and deep interest in the development of the traffic profession, both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond, and was happy to socialize, discuss and collaborate with intellectuals, authors and experts in the field of traffic and communications.

Šefkija Čekić, full professor at the Faculty of Transport and Communications, University of Sarajevo, was born in 1935 in Gusinje, where he finished elementary school. He obtained his secondary and higher education in Skopje. He holds a master's degree and a doctorate from the Faculty of Economics, University of Skopje. In his university career, he performed as a visiting professor at several universities in Europe. He is the author and co-author of several books and three university textbooks. He has published 142 scientific and professional papers in the field of traffic and communications. He has been a principal investigator in 15 projects in the field of transport and communication research.

He is the winner of state, social and scientific awards, including the Order of Labor with a Golden Wreath, the Fifteenth April Award of the Yugoslav Railways for 1975, the Golden Plaque of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts - Scientific Council for Transport. On the occasion of marking the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the University of Sarajevo (1949-1999), he was awarded the University Plaque for outstanding contribution to preserving the continuity and dignity of the University. He was named a European scientist in the field of transport and communications in 2006. He was a regular member of the Scientific Council for Transport of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

It is extremely difficult and with these many facts from the life, work and activities of esteemed Prof. Čekić, to describe the richness of his ideas, the culture of behavior in respect and criticism of various professional projects and events all with the aim of comprehensive progress, especially the development of the transport system of Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond. He constantly proposed and published the ways of development of our society into a knowledge society.

The funeral of Šefkija Čekić will be on Saturday, 25 September 2021 at 16:30 in Gusinje.