Rafique Ahammed, DG of environment department, dies from COVID

Dr AKM Rafique Ahammed, director general of the Department of Environment, has died from the COVID-19 illness.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 10 April 2021, 04:43 AM
Updated : 10 April 2021, 04:43 AM

He died while undergoing treatment at Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital in the early hours of Saturday.

Ahammed underwent testing in the last week of March after showing COVID symptoms, said Farid Ahmed, director of the environment department. Ahammed was admitted to the hospital after testing positive.

“The DG was placed on life support. He died at 4:14 am after his condition deteriorated.”

Ahammed is expected to be buried in Chattogram after the conclusion of a funeral prayer for him.

Many officials of the environment department have also been infected with the virus, Farid said.

Ahammed obtained his master’s degree in zoology from the University of Dhaka. Later, he undertook a master’s programme in environmental studies in 2001 at the University of Adelaide, Australia. He completed his PhD in the same discipline from the University of Adelaide in 2007.