Kazi Zafar’s 1st janaza held in Tongi

Kazi Zafar Ahmed. Star file photo

The first namaz-e-janaza of Jatiya Party (Z) chairman and former prime minister Kazi Zafar Ahmed was held at Biswa Ijtema ground in Tongi this morning.

BNP central committee member Hasan Uddin Sarkar, general secretary of JP's Gazipur city unit Asad Siddiqui, leaders of the BNP-led 20-party alliance to which Jafar’s JP faction belongs, among others attended the janaza.

Zafar’s first namaz-e-janaza was held here as per his wish around 8:15 am, sources said.

Earlier, Zafar’s body had been taken to the Biswa Ijtema ground around 7:45 am.

His second namaz-e-janaza will be held later at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Friday morning.

Later, his body will be taken to Baitul Mukarram National Mosque where the third janaza will be held after Juma prayers.

Kazi Zafar Ahmed, also former presidium member of the Ershad-led Jatiya Party, passed away on Thursday morning. He was 76.

Kazi Zafar, who earned reputation as a leftist student leader in the 1960s, served as commerce minister, deputy prime minister and finally prime minister in the Ershad's government in the 80s.

He was Prime Minister from March 20, 1989 to December 6, 1990.

Born in 1939 in Chauddagram upazila of Comilla, Kazi Zafar obtained MA degree in history from Dhaka University.

Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad sacked Zafar from his party on November 29, 2013 as he made ‘derogatory’ remarks against the former military ruler following his decision to join the 10th parliamentary elections and the election-time cabinet.

Later, Zafar reconstituted the Jatiya Party committee by removing its chief HM Ershad and claimed he is the chairman of the new committee while Ghulam Moshi its secretary general.

On January 25, 2014, Kazi Zafar-led faction of Jatiya Party joined the BNP-led alliance.