Minister Syed Ashraful Islam dies in Bangkok

Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, former general secretary of the Awami League, has died in Bangkok at the age of 67.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has led the tribute to her long-time confidante.

Battling lung cancer for a long time, he breathed his last at the Bumrungrad Hospital on Thursday night.

President Md Abdul Hamid and Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury also mourned Syed Ashraf.

The mortal remains of the minister will be brought to Bangladesh on Saturday evening, his personal assistant AKM Sazzad Alam Shahin told bdnews24.com.

When and where his Namaj-e-Janaza or funeral prayers and burial will take place will be decided in consultation with the bereaving family, the Awami League leaders said.

Syed Ashraf was one of those who raised the ethical bar in Bangladesh’s politics and left behind a legacy of higher moral standards for future politicians.

The death news came hours after a letter sought more time from Speaker Shirin Sharmin for the Awami League leader to take oath of office as member of parliament.

The public administration minister took his leave of absence from parliament on Sept 18 last year.

Even though Ashraf was absent during the election, he emerged the winner at Kishoreganj-1.

Hasina herself sought vote for Syed Ashraf during the campaign. “Please work together so that Mr Syed Ashraf can win. I pray for his quick recovery and return,” she told the leaders and activists of the party’s Kishoreganj unit via a video conference at the time.

Syed Ashraful Islam and Sheikh Hasina at the Awami League's 20th council at the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Oct 22, 2016. File Photo

Son of Syed Nazrul Islam, one of the four national leaders killed in the jail in 1975, Syed Ashraf left for the United Kingdom after the assassination.

He became a member of parliament on the AL ticket from Kishoreganj-1in 1996 after returning home. He was also re-elected in 2001, 2008 and 2014.

Syed Ashraful Islam and Sheikh Hasina at the Awami League's 20th council at the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Oct 22, 2016. File Photo

Ashraf was entrusted with the duties of Awami League general secretary when central leaders including Hasina were put behind bars during the 2007-8 emergency rule.

He proved his mettle when the military-controlled government sought to punish politicians and banish the two top politicians - Hasina and Khaleda Zia.

Hasina, however, removed him as the local government minister in 2015 before bringing him back to her cabinet again.

He also lost the party’s number two post, general secretary, in its last council.

File Photo: Awami League leaders greet their re-elected party President Sheikh Hasina and General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam at the Prime Minister’s official residence, the Ganabhaban, on Sunday. Photo: PM Office/bdnews24.com/ Dhaka, Dec 30, 2012

Syed Ashraf was a member of the Awami League’s presidium until his death.

Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives gives a warm reception to new minister Syed Ashraful Islam Wednesday. Photo: Firoz Ahmed/ bdnews24.com/ Dhaka, January 07, 2009

The leaders and activists of the party still remember the role he played in strengthening the party.

He fell ill after losing his wife Sheila Islam to cancer in 2017. They are survived by their daughter Reema Islam.

“Syed Ashraf is unrivalled. One day, he will surpass Syed Nazrul in Bangladesh’s history. He will be the great hero in history,” his brother Syed Shafayatul Islam had said at a Jail Killing Day event at the Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College in Kishoreganj before the polls.