Akhtaruzzaman Babu MP dies

President, Prime Minister leads tributes as the body arrives Monday

Chittagong, Nov 4 (bdnews24.com)—Chittagong-12 (Anwara) MP and ruling Awami League Presidium Member Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu passed away early on Sunday.

The 71-year-old freedom fighter died at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore around 4:30am having suffered from kidney complications for long.

His Private Secretary Borhanuddin Chowdhury Murad told bdnews24.com: "He was suffering from kidney complications for a long time. He had been treated in Singapore for around a month."

The three-time MP was the head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Textiles and Jute.

Babu was a leading entrepreneur of the port city. He was also the Chairman of Aramit Group and United Commercial Bank (UCB).

He also served as the President of apex trade body Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and Chittagong Chamber and Commerce and Industries.

The port city was shocked at the news of his death. He had been President of ruling party's Chittagong south district unit since 1977.

The veteran politician was born in May, 1945, at Anwara's Haildhar village. He was elected as a Provincial Assembly member from Anwara-West Patia on Awami League ticket in the 1970 elections. Then he was elected MP from the constituency of that same area.

Murad said the leader left behind wife, three sons and three daughters. Most of them are in Singapore at the moment.

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight will bring his mortal remains from Singapore to Dhaka on Monday afternoon.

His first namaj-e-janaza will be held at Parliament building premises. His body will be taken to Chittagong after the second namaj-e-janaza in front of the Awami League headquarters at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital.

Three more funeral prayers is also scheduled to be held in Chittagong on Nov 7 – at Jamiyatul Falah National Mosque at 11am, at AJ Chowdhury ground in Patia at 12 in the noon and at Anwara High School field at 2pm.

Another four namaj-e-janajas will be held at Chowdhury High School field in Haildhar in Anwara. Then he will be buried in his family graveyard.

Meanwhile, President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep sorrow and shock over the death.

In a condolence message, Zillur Rahman said the country has lost a veteran politician and social worker. His contributions towards the national development would remain unforgettable, he said.

Hasina said the nation would forever remember with gratitude his invaluable contribution towards Bengalees' movement for autonomy and the Liberation War under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She recalled his brave role in the anti-autocratic democratic movement after the assassination of Bangabandhu and his family in 1975. "In his death the Awami League has lost a dedicated leader and the nation has lost a valiant freedom fighter and patriot politician."

Many leaders and activists of Chittagong Awami League said Babu was like a guardian to them in politics and a friend in need.

They said his death was an irreparable loss for the camp that stood for the freedom struggle.

Babu's long time political associate and AL's Chittagong south district unit General Secretary Moslem Uddin Ahmed told bdnews24.com: "The South district unit President for a long time, Babu bhai was an honest and dedicated leader of the party. He suffered tortures for the party and even went to jail."

"Though he was a successful businessman in personal life, he would be unhappy if anybody called him an industrialist. He wanted all to call him a politician. He liked very much to work for the people."

Speaker of Parliament Abdul Hamid, Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali, Jute and Textiles Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Communications Minister Obaidul Quader, State Minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Post and Telecommunications Minister Shahara Khatun, BNP Vice-Chairman Abdullah Al Noman and many other political personalities and organisations expressed mourned him.

Saying Babu was 'a friend in need', Awami League's metropolitan unit General Secretary Kazi Enamul Haque Danu said Babu always stood by the party in all the movements and struggles.

Danu, also a freedom fighter, further said, "The loss of Chittagong Awami League in his death cannot be compensated even in the lifetime of the current leaders."

Chittagong District Council Administrator MA Salam said that Babu was one of the front leaders in major street movements since the War of Independence.

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