Eye witness of August 15 brutal killings Shahan Ara passes away

Shahan Ara Abdullah, a valiant freedom fighter and wife of Awami League lawmaker (Barishal-1) Abul Hasanat, died at a hospital in Dhaka last night at the age of 72.

An eyewitness of the brutal killings on August 15, 1975, Shahan Ara suffered a stroke and breathed her last around 11:30pm at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), reports our Barishal correspondent.

Shahan Ara was a politician, cultural activist and social worker. She was the mother of Barishal City Corporation (BCC) Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah.

People from different professions and cultural organisations expressed deep shock over her death.

She left behind her husband, three sons and one daughter.

She was buried at a madrasa ground near a graveyard at Barishal around 8:30am today after her second namaz-e-janaza held there. Her first namaz-e-janaza was held at the BSMMU.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed deep shock and sorrow at her death, UNB reports.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and KM Khalid MP, state minister for Cultural Affairs, also expressed grief at the death of Shahan Ara.