Ex-Rangpur city mayor Jhantu dies at age 66

Former Rangpur City Mayor Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhantu has died at a Dhaka hospital 26 days after he was admitted following a cerebral haemorrhage.

He died at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital at 3:30pm on Sunday, said his son Reaz Ahmed Himon.

Jhantu, also a member of Rangpur Awami League Advisory Council, was 66.

Jhantu was taken to the Rangpur City Central Clinic on Jan 31 after a stroke.

“He lost sensation in his left arm and leg after the cerebral haemorrhage,” said Dr Tofail Hossain Bhuiyan of the clinic.

The following day Jhantu was transferred to Dhaka’s Lab Aid Hospital by an air ambulance. He was later transferred to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

Jhantu was elected as mayor in the first Rangpur City Corporation mayoral polls in 2012. He ran for re-election in 2017 as an Awami League candidate, but lost to the Jatiya Party candidate by a significant margin.

Jhantu was also an MP from Rangpur-1, the chairman of Rangpur’s Sadar Upazila and a chairman of the Rangpur Municipality.