Mostafa Mohsin Montu passes away

Mostafa Mohsin Montu, a veteran politician, freedom fighter, passed away yesterday while undergoing treatment at a city hospital. He was 80.

"The Gonoforum president, who has been suffering from different old-age related complications, passed away around 5:00pm at the Square Hospital," Md Azad Hossain, organising secretary of Gonoforum told The Daily Star.

Top leaders of different political parties, including BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in separate messages, expressed deep condolences at the demise of Montu and prayed for his departed soul.

They also extended sympathy to his bereaved family.

Montu, a prominent figure in Bangladesh's politics, held various key roles throughout his career and was widely respected for his commitment to democratic values and social justice.

He became active in Awami League politics during his student life and later served as president of the Jubo League and secretary of the party's Dhaka city unit.

Elected as an MP from Dhaka-3 in 1986, he was expelled from AL in 1992 and subsequently joined Dr Kamal Hossain's Gonoforum. In 2009, he became its secretary general.

After a falling out with Gonoforum's then General Secretary Reza Kibria, Montu formed a separate faction and served as its president.

In November 2024, the two factions reunited, with Montu as president and Dr Kamal Hossain named emeritus president.

The veteran politician, one of the organisers of the Liberation War, contested the 2018 national election from Dhaka-7 as a Jatiya Oikya Front candidate.

Montu also played a crucial role in organising political coalitions against the Sheikh Hasina regime.

The first namaz-e-janaza of Montu was held after the Esha prayers yesterday at a mosque on Elephant Road.

The second janaza will be held at 9:00am today in Keraniganj.

Later, after Zohr prayers, people will have the opportunity to pay tributes to him at the Central Shaheed Minar.

He is expected to be laid to rest at Banani Graveyard.