Khurshid Jahan dies at CMH, 3rd Lead

Dhaka, June 14 (BDNEWS) – Women and children affairs minister Khurshid Jahan Haque died of prolonged illness Wednesday morning at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka. She was 67.

Khurshid Jahan, also the convener of Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal and central vice-president of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was laid to rest at Sheikh Farid (R:) graveyard in Dinajpur beside her father's grave, with state honours after the third namaj-e-janaza at Gora Shaheed Maidan.

Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia along with several cabinet members, lawmakers, political activists and thousands of general people of Dinajpur, the hometown of Khurshid Jahan, placed floral wreath to the deceased while her body was being buried.

The Prime Minister accompanied by different civil and military high officials, reached Dinajpur by a helicopter.

Elder sister of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Haque had been suffering from liver disease and admitted to the CMCH on May 24.

CMH sources said she breathed her last at 10:50am. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia rushed to the CMH at about 12:30 pm.

Acting President Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar and acting speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui also visited the CMH.

Body of Khurshid Jahan was taken to the BNP central office at Naya Paltan where her first namaj-e-janaza was held. Her second janaza was held at south plaza of Jatiya Sangsad.

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Acting Speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui and Deputy Opposition leader Advocate Abdul Hamid on behalf of leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths on her coffin before the second janaza.

She left behind her elderly mother, four sons, two brothers and two sisters to mourn her death.

Khurshid Jahan Haque was born at south Balubari in Dinajpur on August 11, 1939.

She passed her Matriculation from Dinajpur in 1954, IA from Tangail Kumudini College in 1956 and obtained BA degree from the same college in 1958.

She was the general secretary of Tangail Kumudini College Students' Union in 1956-57. Khurshid was a founding member of Jagodal and a women organiser. She was also one of the vice-chairmen of ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

She was made an MP in the reserved seat for women in 1991. Later, she was elected MP thrice from Dinajpur-3 constituency in 1996 and 2001.

Khurshid Jahan Haque was given the charge of ministry of women and children affairs on October 10, 2001 when the four-party government assumed power.

BDNEWS/2038 hrs