Gandhi Ashram Trust Secretary Jharna Dhara Chowdhury dies

Jharna Dhara Chowdhury, a life-long social activist and ardent proponent of the values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi, has died at the age of 80.

Jharna, the secretary of the Gandhi Ashram Trust in Noakhali, passed away around 6am on Thursday at Dhaka’s Square Hospital where she was being kept on life support, said Swadesh Roy, president of the Trust.

Jharna won national awards from Bangladesh and India for her social services. 

She was suffering from hypertension, diabetes  and other age-related complications for long, said director in the ashram Raha Naba  Kumar.

She had a brain haemorrhage on Jun 1 and was admitted to the Square Hospital the next day. Jharna suffered a second haemorrhage on Wednesday and was put on the life support system but did not survive.

Her coffin will be placed at the Central Shaheed Minar from 11 am to 12 pm on Friday for people to pay their tribute to her, said Golam Quddus, president of Sammilita Sangskritik Jote.

The mortal remains of Jharna Dhara were taken to Dhaleshwari Temple on Thursday afternoon where her last rites were performed. The Gandhi Trust Ashram also paid tribute to her there.

Jharna Dhara's coffin will be kept at Square Hospital overnight before being placed at the Central Shaheed Minar. People from all walks of life will pay their respects at farewell ceremony arranged by Sammilita Sangskritik Jote from 11am and 12pm.

The body will then be taken to her longtime place of work, the Gandhi Ashram in Noakhali where her colleagues will pay their final tributes to her.