Nation bids farewell to former finance minister AMA Muhith at Shaheed Minar

People from all echelons of society have paid their final respects to former Finance Minister AMA Muhith at Dhaka’s Central Shaheed Minar.

The Awami League, led by General Secretary Obaidul Quader, was the first to pay their respects after the body was brought to the Shaheed Minar at 12:45 am on Saturday.

The President’s Military Secretary Major General SM Salauddin Islam and the Prime Minister’s Military Secretary Brigadier General Kabir Ahmed presented the farewells from the respective leaders.

Sergeant at Arms Commodore M Nayeem Rahman presented Speaker of Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury’s condolences.

Many prominent politicians came to bid their farewell, including Awami League Presidium members Matia Chowdhury, Nurul Islam Nahid, Md Abdur Razzak, and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, and Awami League Joint General Secretary Hasan Mahmud.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman and AK Azad, representing the Dhaka University Alumni Association, paid their respects.

Also in attendance were the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal’s Hasanul Haq Inu, journalist Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, Gonoshasthaya Kendra trustee Jafrullah Chowdhury, Planning Minister MA Mannan and Dhaka South Mayor Fazle Noor Taposh.

Representatives from the Krishak League, Kumudini Welfare Trust, the Puja Celebration Council, the Jalalabad Association, the Ministry of Finance, the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust, the Indian High Commission, the Dhaka Metropolitan Chamber and Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Public Puja Celebration Committee, the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council, National University, the Bangladesh Administration Service, the Jubo League, the Chhatra League, the Shechhashebok League, the Krishak League, the Bangabandhu Association and various other social and cultural organisations paid their respects.

“Abul Maal Abdul Muhith had a Master’s in English Literature,” said Obaidul Quader after saying his farewell to his departed colleague.

“He also studied at Harvard. He passed 12 budgets as finance minister, 10 under Sheikh Hasina’s government – a record. I have rarely seen such a workaholic. He was always immersed in his work and his studies. He was at the office day and night, even on holidays. Even if the Secretariat was closed, the lights in his office were on. That was the kind of man he was.”

“Abul Maal Abdul Muhith was an enlightened man,” said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Muhith’s brother. “He spent his entire life in the service of his country, working with sincerity and honesty. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina allowed him to work, and he carried out his duties with integrity. He was extremely talented and hardworking, and these qualities were evident in his work.”

“For the past few days, he kept saying that he wanted to go. He told us his work was done and he was ready. ‘I leave the rest to you,’ he said.”

“Now that he is gone, let us work towards building that beautiful Bangladesh he envisaged in his dreams. Let us keep moving forward, towards that goal.”

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith died under hospital care in Dhaka early on Saturday. He was 88.

He was a member of Sheikh Hasina’s cabinet from 2009 to 2018 before retiring from politics in 2019.

Muhith, who had been a member of the Pakistan Civil Service, left his job at the Pakistan embassy in the US in 1971 and joined the first government of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina noted in her condolence message.

The Independence Award-winning politician will be remembered through his works, she said.

Following the end of the event, Muhith's body was taken to the Dhaka University Central Jamme Mosque for funeral prayers. He will be laid to rest at the family graveyard in Sylhet after prayers on Sunday, the family said.