Ex-president Biswas passes away

Former president Abdur Rahman Biswas passed away at a city hospital last night. He was 91.

He breathed his last at United Hospital around 7:30pm, his son Mahmudur Rahman Biswas told The Daily Star.

The politician had been suffering from old-age complications. He was taken to the hospital earlier in the day after his condition deteriorated, Mahmudur said.

Biswas left behind five sons, two daughters and a host of relatives, admirers and well wishers.

He was the 11th president of Bangladesh during 1991-96 when the BNP was in power.

Born in Shaistabad village of Barisal on September 1, 1926, Biswas did his BA and MA in history from Dhaka University. He had another degree in law.

He was elected member of the East Pakistan Legislative Assembly in 1962 and 1965. He also worked as a parliamentary secretary to East Pakistan from 1965 to 1969, according to Banglapedia.

He represented Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly in 1967.

Biswas was elected a member of parliament in 1979. He served respectively as jute minister when Ziaur Rahman was the president and health minister when Justice Abdus Sattar was the president of the country, according to Banglapedia.

Biswas was elected MP in February 1991 and then elected Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad.

President Abdul Hamid, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed sadness at the death and extended sympathy to the bereaved family members.

Meanwhile, the family sources said the first namaz-e-janaza of Biswas would be held at Barisal Zilla School at 9:30am today. The second namaz-e-janaza would be held at 11:30am in front of the BNP's Nayapaltan headquarters. The third one would be held after the Johr prayers on the Supreme Court premises and the fourth one after the Asr prayers at Ghulshan Azad Mosque. Later, Biswas would be buried at the Banani graveyard in the capital.