Dhaka, July 22 (bdnews24.com) – The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has asked the government to organise a state farewell for writer Humayun Ahmed.
"He was not of the Awami League, BNP or any other party. He was the favourite with 160 million people," Chief Whip of the opposition party Zainul Abdin Farroque said on Sunday at a programme in Dhaka Reporters Unity.
"So we will urge the government to hold the ceremony to pay respects... under the state's supervision or that of his family."
Humayun Ahmed, who was suffering from colon cancer, died at New York's Bellevue Hospital on July 19. An Emirates Airlines flight carrying the remains of the writer set off for Bangladesh around 9am on Sunday from John F Kennedy Airport.
His body is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Monday morning.
Sammilito Sangskritik Jote has organised for the body to be kept at the Central Shaheed Minar from 11am to 2pm to allow the people from to pay tribute to the writer.
"The whole nation is saddened by the demise of such a famed writer as Humayun Ahmed. I pay my respects to him. Now, we are hearing that Awami League-backed Sangskritik Jote will organise the programme."
"I will urge the government. Do not politicise the programme for Humayun Ahmed. He has already left us."
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