Dhaka: Former BNP lawmaker and ex-vice-president of the undivided Dhaka City unit of BNP, S A Khaleque, has passed away while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the capital. "S A Khaleque has breathed his last at 3:30 pm today at United Hospital," stated BNP media cell member Shairul Kabir Khan.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, earlier in the day, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council member Abdus Salam visited the ailing S A Khaleque at the hospital. Khaleque was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday and placed on a ventilator on Saturday night due to his deteriorating health.
Shairul Kabir Khan announced that Khaleque's namaz-e-janaza will be held tomorrow at 12 noon in front of BNP's Nayapaltan central office and at 2 pm at the Mirpur Bangla College premises. He will be laid to rest at his family graveyard at Mirpur Shahi Mosque in Gabtali.
Khaleque had been suffering from several health complications, including heart issues and diabetes. In addition to his political career, he was a prominent businessman. Inspired by BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman, Khaleque joined BNP and was first elected as a member of parliament from the then Dhaka-14 constituency in the second Jatiya Sangsad election on February 18, 1979. He was subsequently re-elected as an MP in 1986 and 1988 and later again in the 1996 and 2001 elections.