BNP on Thursday paid its last respects to the party’s vice-chairman and former deputy prime minister Shah Moazzem Hossain by placing wreaths on his coffin.
Moazzem’s coffin was taken to BNP’s Nayapaltan central office around 11:30 am and kept on a stage, enabling party leaders and activists to have a last glimpse of the deceased, who passed away on Wednesday night.
On behalf of BNP, its standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Nazrul Islam Khan, placed wreaths on the coffin of the veteran leader and draped it with a party flag as a mark of respect.
Earlier, his first Namaz-e-janaza was held in front of the BNP office participated by several hundred party leaders and activists.
In a brief address prior to the janaza, Khandaker Mosharraf recalled Shah Moazzem’s role in different movements and in the country’s Liberation War. “We really need a fearless leader like Shah Moazzem as we’re on a movement for the restoration of democracy. But he has left us for eternity.”
He said they will keep Moazzem alive among people by carrying out a successful movement following the history of the movements and struggles throughout his life.
Read: BNP Vice-Chairman Shah Moazzem Hossain passes away
“I pay homage to the memory of the deceased and pray for the salvation of his departed soul . I also convey my sympathy to the bereaved family members,” Mosharraf said.
After the janaza, Moazzem’s body was taken to Munshiganj’s Sri Nagar where his second janaza will be held.
He will be buried at Banani graveyard in the capital after his third and final janaza on the premises of Azad Mosque in Gulshan in the capital.
Shah Moazzem passed on Wednesday night at his Gulshan residence at the age of 83.
BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed shock at the death.
Boron on January 10, 1939, at Dogachi village in Munshiganj, Shah Moazzem Hossain was active in politics from his student life. He spent almost 18 years in jail between 1952 and 1970 due to his participation in the Language Movement and different other struggles for the liberation of the country.
He served as the Chief Whip of the first parliament of independent Bangladesh and later joined the cabinet of Khandaker Mushtaque Ahmed as a minister in 1975.
Later, he joined Jatiya Party during the rule of HM Ershad and was made the secretary general of the party and a deputy prime minister of the country.
Moazzem joined BNP in 2006 and served the party until his death.
Source: United News of Bangladesh