The vacuum created in politics in the death of veteran politician and Awami League leader Mohammed Nasim, who fought and came forward in any critical moment of the party and the country as well, would never be fulfilled, said the ruling party leaders.
The long-time political colleagues of AL presidium member and the spokesperson of the 14-party alliance and former home, health and family welfare minister Mohammed Nasim viewed this as they expressed condolences to mourn his death.
They said Nasim was a tested leader and trusted political colleague. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina trusted him like Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman trusted his father Shaheed M Mansur Ali, they said, adding that the ideals of Mohammed Nasim in politics will work as an example for the future generation.
Nasim died at the Bangladesh Specialised Hospital in the capital on Saturday morning while under treatment. He was 72.
In his reaction, AL advisory council member and former minister Amir Hossain Amu said Nasim played a crucial role in the country’s politics over the few decades as an able successor of National leader captain Mansur Ali.
He said Nasim did politics for betterment of the people. “His popularity helped him come out top repeatedly in the general elections in his constituency, even during the hard time of Awami League,” he added.
The veteran politician (Amu) said Nasim played an important role in Awami League and he would be remembered for his outstanding contribution to the country’s politics.
Another AL advisory council member and also veteran politician Tofail Ahmed said in his long chequered political carrier, Mohammed Nasim was leader of fighter. He played a vital role in every movement and was captive in jail, he added.
Tofail said Mohammed Nasim was repressed after the assassination of Bangabandhu and he was arrested. Even, he (Nasim) didn’t participate in 1979’s general elections, he added.
The AL politician said Nasim didn’t lose in any elections in his whole life. The military-backed caretaker government pushed him (Nasim) in Kashimpur jail after the 1/11 (political changeover in 2007, popularly known as 1/11) and he suffered the first stroke there, Tofail added.
Terming Nasim as a great minded leader, Tofail said he played an important role in every movement as a trusted and tested leader of Awami League. His death is an irreparable loss to the politics, he added.
AL presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said Nasim was a soldier of non-communal democratic movement who believed the ideology of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
He did politics in his whole life for the masses and was captive in prison for several times, Selim said, adding he was a leader of soil and common people and never lost his ideology.
AL general secretary and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader said Mohammed Nasim did politics for the freedom of masses for long time. His outstanding contribution to establishing a non-communal, democratic and an equality-based progressive society would ever be remembered with due honour, he added.
His idiosyncrasy which he demonstrated in different movements against military-backed rules in establishing democracy will encourage the next generation, he added.
AL presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak said the role of Mohammed Nasim in the country’s politics would ever be remembered.
Another AL presidium member Abdur Rahman said the role of Nasim will be an example for the future generation.
AL organising secretary and state minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said the death of Mohammed Nasim has created a vacuum in the politics.
Nasim was also elected the organising secretary of Awami League in 1992 and 1997.