Ershad laid to rest in Palli Nibas

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad was laid to rest at his home in Rangpur city with state honour this evening.

The former president of Bangladesh was buried at Palli Nibas residence under the supervision of the Bangladesh army around 6:05pm, our Dinajpur correspondent reports from the spot.

Before the burial, the fourth and final namaz-e-janaza of Ershad was held at Central Collectorate Eidgah in the city this afternoon with the participation of thousands of people in the area.

On Sunday, the day Ershad died, JP leaders decided that he would be buried at Banani military graveyard in Dhaka. On the same day, local leaders and activists of JP urged Ersahd’s family to bury him at his residence in Rangpur.

Ershad’s younger brother and JP acting Chairman GM Quader earlier in the day announced that Ershad would burried in Rangpur following the demand of local leaders and activists.

Later, expressing heartfelt gratitude to the people of Rangpur for their emotion, love and respect to HM Ershad, his wife Rowshan Ershad gave her consent for Ershad’s burial in Rangpur, said a press release of the JP.

Rowshan Ershad also requested the people, who were present there at that time of Ershad’s janaza, for keeping a piece of land so that she would be buried beside her husband.

A helicopter of Bangladesh Air Force carrying the coffin of the JP chief landed at Rangpur Cantonment around 11:30am where his final janaza was held.

GM Quader, JP Secretary General Moshiur Rahman Ranga, former Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader and Ershad's son Rahgir Al Mahi Shad Ershad, among others, accompanied the body.

Ershad, a former military strongman and five-time MP, breathed his last around 7:45 am on Sunday while undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka.

His first janaza was held at the Army Central Mosque in Dhaka on Sunday while two other janazas were held on Monday.

Ershad's qulkhwani will be held on Wednesday at Gulshan's Azad mosque in Dhaka.

The former military strongman had been shuttling between his home and hospital for the last few months as his health condition deteriorated.

He was admitted to the CMH on June 26 as he had been suffering from various old-age complications, including low haemoglobin, kidney and liver problem, high bilirubin and serious keen pain.