Mohammed Nasim, AL leader and former health minister, dies at 72

Mohammed Nasim, the Awami League stalwart who served Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in four different cabinet roles, has died in hospital care at the age of 72.

Nasim, who had been on life support after suffering a stroke, passed away at the Bangladesh Specialised Hospital in Shyamoli on Saturday morning. He leaves behind his wife and three children.

Nasim was hospitalised with a fever on Jun 1 and later tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

With underlying health conditions, he had undergone brain surgery after suffering a stroke during treatment.

Nasim was put in intensive care and later on life support, doctors said. Although he later tested negative for COVID-19, his condition showed no signs of improvement over the following days.

Nasim had initially tested negative for the coronavirus but his wife and a house help had been confirmed to have caught COVID-19.

But as his fever, cough and other health conditions began to worsen, the family got him admitted to the hospital on Jun 1 and a second test confirmed he had contracted the virus.

The veteran politician will be laid to rest at the Banani graveyard on Sunday.

President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and senior Awami League leaders have expressed deep shock and grief over Nasim's death.

In a condolence message, President Hamid said, "Mohammed Nasim was a fearless fighter in our struggle for independence and the Liberation War as well as all other democratic movements in the country. The fact that he was elected to parliament on five occasions shows that he was loved by the people."

"His death is an irreparable loss for national politics. Nasim's name will forever be etched in the country's political history. He will always be remembered with respect for his contributions to democracy, the country, the party and the people as well as for upholding the spirit of the Liberation War."

Born to M Mansur Ali and Amena Mansur in Sirajganj’s Kazipur on Apr 2, 1948, Nasim represented the Sirajganj constituency for the fifth term. His father, Mansur Ali, was one of the four national leaders slain inside Dhaka Central Jail in 1975 after the assassination of founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Nasim became the post and telecommunication minister when the Awami League returned to power in 1996. Hasina gave her the charge of housing and public works ministry as well the next year.

After handling both ministries until March 1999, he became the home minister.

Hasina did not keep him in her cabinet after sweeping the 2008 elections, but made him health minister in the next term after the 2014 polls.

Zahid Malik, who had been the state minister for health during Nasim’s stint at the helm, is the health minister now.

A presidium member of the ruling party, Nasim has been working as the coordinator of the 14-Party Coalition led by the Awami League.

One of the key organisers of the 1971 Liberation War and Bangabandhu’s close confidants, Mansur Ali had also served as prime minister after independence.

Nasim became active in politics after the killing of his father.

The first election Nasim won was in 1986 when he was the publicity secretary of the party. He served as the opposition chief whip at the time. He was elected MP in 1996, 2001, 2014 and 2018.

He has also founded a number of educational institutions in Dhaka and Sirajganj.