Tariqul laid to rest in Jashore

BNP standing committee member and former minister Tariqul Islam, who died at a hospital in Dhaka yesterday, was laid to rest at Jashore Karbala Graveyard this evening.

The last namaz-e-janaza of Tariqul Islam was held at the Jashore Eidgah Maidan after Asr prayers where leaders and activists of BNP, its different front and associate bodies and people from all walks of life took part.  

The body was taken to Jashore Airport by a helicopter around 2:00pm from where it was taken his Noapara residence by an ambulance around 2:40pm.

BNP Standing Committee Member Abdul Moeen Khan and its Vice Chairman Nitai Roy Chowdhury, among others, were present at that time.

Later, the body was taken to Jashore district unit BNP office and then to the Eidgah Maidan where his last namaz-e-janaza was held.

BNP pays last respect to Tariqul

Earlier in the day, BNP paid last respect to Tariqul by placing wreaths at his coffin.

Tariqul’s coffin was taken to BNP’s Nayapaltan central office around 9:40am and kept it in front of the party office where his second namaz-e-janaza was held.

The first namaz-e-janaza was held at the Shantinagar Mosque in Dhaka.

Later, the coffin was covered up with the party flag and leader and activists of the party and its different front and associate bodies paid their last respect to the late leader.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, its standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamir Uddin Sircar, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and other rank and file of the party placed wreaths on the coffin.

After placing the wreaths, they also observed silence for some while as part of their respect.

In a brief address, Fakhrul said their party has lost a dedicated and seasoned leader like Tariqul Islam when the entire nation and the BNP are passing through a crucial time.

“His demise is an irreparable loss…”

He said Tariqul worked for the country and its people and fought for working people throughout his life without any compromise.

“Our party has lost a learned leader of high character,” the BNP leader said.

Later, his third namaz-e-janaza was held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban joined by several hundred party leaders and activists.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, vice-chairmen Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Barkatullah Bulu, Shahjahan Omar, Mohammed Shahjahan, Zainul Abedin, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, AZM Zahid, Ahmed Azam Khan, BNP chairperson’s adviser Amanullah Aman, Habibur Rahman Habib, and senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi joined the janaza.

BNP is observing a mourning day today by hoisting black flags at its offices across the country. The party leaders and activists also wore black badges.

Tariqul, who had long been suffering from heart, kidney diseases, diabetic and old-age complications, died at Apollo Hospitals in Dhaka yesterday at the age of 73.

Tariqul Islam, born on November 16, 1946 in Jashore, did his BA (Economics) from Jashore Michael Madhususdan College and MA in Economics from Rajshahi University in 1969. He was engaged in leftist politics during his student life and faced jail sentences during the Pakistan regime.

He joined National Awami Party of Mawlana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and took part in the Liberation War in 1971. Later, he joined Jatiyatabadi Gonotantrik Dal. He joined BNP in 1978 during its founder Ziaur Rahman’s rule. He held the positions of joint secretary general, acting secretary general and vice-chairman of the party.

Known as a progressive political leader, Tariqul was the first elected chairman of Jashore Municipality and was elected MP for four times from the district.

Since 1982, Tariqul served as state minister and minister for the ministries of roads and railways, social welfare and women affairs, post and telecommunications, food, information, and forest and environment.

Tariqul had long been inactive in politics due to his illness. He last attended the standing committee meeting of BNP in February this year before the party Chairperson Khaleda Zia was sent to jail in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.