Wazed Miah is dead

The prime minister's husband Dr M A Wazed Miah, 66, died at 4:25pm on Saturday after prolonged illness. Dr Sanawar Hossain told bdnews24.com the nuclear scientist had slipped into coma and died of multiple complications at the Square Hospital in Dhaka. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina was at the bedside of her husband in his final moments. His namaj-e-Janaza will be held at 10am on Sunday at the Baitul Mukarram before he will be buried at the family graveyard in his ancestoral home in Pirganj, Rangpur. UPDATES

Dhaka, May 9 (bdnews24.com)—The prime minister's husband Dr M A Wazed Miah, 66, died at 4:25pm on Saturday after prolonged illness.

Dr Sanawar Hossain told bdnews24.com the nuclear scientist had slipped into coma and died of multiple complications at the Square Hospital.

Dr Miah had been under treatment at Square Hospital for the last one year. He had received treatment in Delhi and Singapore.

In the most recent spell, he was admitted to the hospital on April 7 He fell ill after Hasina was detained in prison for nearly an year by the emergency government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed.

His heart beat became irregular on Wednesday morning. He was put on the pace machine eventually as no medicine was working.

Dr Miah had an angioplasty at Singapore Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

The body was taken to his Sudha Sadan home at Dhanmandi 5 in an ambulance at 5:45pm. The body was brought to the hospital mortuary at 9:42pm.

Main opposition BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has condoled the death and sympathised with Hasina.

There have been speculations over his health over the last few days after he had been taken to the operating table in critical condition. His body was rejecting drugs, the doctor said.

The former chief of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dr Miah had been suffering for long time from multiple complications including heart ailment, renal failure, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina was at the bedside of her husband in his final moments. She rushed to the hospital at 4pm after his condition had taken a turn for the worse. Her younger sister Sheikh Rahana was also there.

Besides close relatives, home minister Sahara Khatun and Awami League workers were present.

His namaj-e-Janaza will be held at 10am on Sunday at the Baitul Mukarram before he will be buried at the family graveyard in his ancestoral home in Pirganj, Rangpur, the prime minister's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters at 5:15pm.

Hasina left the hospital at around 5:20pm.

As the news of the death broke, cabinet members, MPs and leaders and activists of political parties the hospital to get a glimpse of Dr Miah.

A theoretical physicist, Dr Miah obtained Ph. D degree from Durham University in UK. He married Hasina in 1968 and is survived by Hasina, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Hossain Putul.

He lived a quiet life after retirement at Sudha Sadan. He was also known among relatives and friends as 'Sudha Miah'.

In a country wrecked by corruption and abuse of power, Dr Miah was a rare quality, who kept himself above controversy and temptation even when his wife was all-powerful prime minister.

Dr Miah authored many books including Fundamentals of Thermodynamics and Fundamentals of Electromagnetics.

Dr Hossain had earlier said they had drafted another five senior physicians into the six-member board to review his situation.

The condition did not worsen but Dr Miah was not out of danger either, he had told bdnews24.com Friday night.

Dr Miah was to have an MRI in the morning and dialysis at midday, he added.

Dr Hossain had said on Friday his condition had improved quite a bit in the first 24 hours but it was not satisfactory in the next.

Dr Miah was born on Feb 16, 1942 at Fatepur village of

Pirganj Upazila in Rangpur district. He was the youngest among four sons and three daughters of late Abdul Kader Miah and late Moyzunnesa.

In 1956, he matriculated with first division from Rangpur Zila School and stood second on the merit list at the ISc examination from Rajshahi Government College in 1958.

He stood first-class second at honours examination in physics department of Dhaka University in 1961 and was first-class first at Master's in 1962.

In his student university days he was elected vice-president of Fazlul Haq Hall on Chhatra League ticket in 1961. He was arrested for participating in anti-education commission movement in 1962.

bdnews24.com/lh/sm/wz/bd/1856h.