Leaders praise Suranjit’s political career
President, PM and political leaders from both the ruling Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party mourned the death of veteran parliamentarian Suranjit Sengupta.
President Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina paid tribute to Suranjit Sengupta by placing wreaths on his coffin at South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Sunday afternoon, reports BSS.
Flanked by central leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League, laid another wreath on the coffin of the parliamentarian.
Suranjit’s body was brought to the parliament’s South Plaza around 3:00pm.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, deputy speaker Fazley Rabbi Mian, leader of the opposition in parliament Begum Raushan Ershad, chief whip ASM Feroze and other whips placed wreaths separately on the coffin.
Leaders of 14-Party also placed wreaths on the coffin of Suranjit, while BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed laid a wreath on behalf of his party.
The prime minister also talked to the family members of the late lawmaker and consoled them.
A guard of honour was given to Suranjit by the members of Bangladesh Police, while the chief whip spoke briefly on his life and works.
Earlier, his body was taken to Dhakeshwari Temple at noon. Politicians, including BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, people from all walks of life gathered there and paid their homage to the late leader.
AL general secretary Obaidul Quader said Suranjit was a lively person in the political history of Bangladesh.
“I think he was a number one parliamentarian. A huge vacuum has been created with his death,” said news agency UNB, quoting Quader.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Suranjit was a man of great soul.
“An honest, sincere and experienced leader like him (Suranjit) is rare. I had a personal relation with him for a long time. I knew him as a man of great soul,” Fakhrul said, UNB adds.
Fakhrul also recalled Surnjit’s role in formulation of the country’s constitution and consolidating democracy by providing his thoughts and suggestions during the country’s political crises.
“I’m deeply shocked at his demise,” said the BNP secretary general.
“We, on behalf of BNP and our chairperson, express deep shock at his death and pray for the eternal peace of his departed soul.
Suranjit’s political career
Suranjit Sengupta was the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, says BSS.
A member of Awami League advisory council and a parliament member from Sunamganj-2 constituency, Sengupta previously served as the railways minister.
The AL leader was born to a Hindu family of Debendranath Sengupta and Sumati Bala Sengupta at Anwarapur village in Derai Upazila under Sunamganj district on 5 May in 1945.
He passed his BA (honours) and MA degrees in General History from Dhaka University. Receiving LLB degree from Central Law College, he started his career as a lawyer. He was member of Supreme Court Bar Association.
From his student life, Suranjit joined politics. At the inception of his political career, he was a leader of left political party and thus began his political life with the strong connection with the leftist parties.
In 1970’s national election of Pakistan, he was elected from the Sylhet district as a candidate of the National Awami Party in the provincial assembly.
He was an Honoured Freedom Fighter who actively took part in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
In the first constituent assembly of Bangladesh, he was a vocal member of the opposition bench. Later, he floated and led the Ekota Party. Suranjit Sengupta joined Awami League in early 1990s.
Suranjit was member of Provincial and National Assembly and elected member of 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th Jatiya Sangsad elections. He served as parliamentary affairs adviser to prime minister Sheikh Hasina during the 7th Jatiya Sangsad.
Suranjit was elected member as Awami League nominated candidate in the 9th JS election on 29 December in 2008. During the 9th JS, he served as chairman of parliamentary standing committee on law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry and co-chairman of constitution amendment committee. He also served as minister for railways.
On 17 April 2012, Suranjit resigned as railway minister amidst the railwaygate scandal but in a dramatic move, the government made him a minister without portfolio just a day after his resignation.
The veteran politician became a minister for the first time in his long political career when the railway ministry was formed in December 2011 by splitting the communications ministry in two.
But, five months into taking over as railway minister, Suranjit at a crowded press briefing on 17 April 2012 announced he was stepping down in light of his discussion with the prime minister the night before about the railwaygate scandal.
On April 9, 2012, Bangladesh Railway microbus driver Ali Azam drove his vehicle to the BGB gate in Pilkhana and alerted the guards there that there was Tk 70 lakh stashed in the vehicle.
Then railway minister Suranjit Sengupta’s assistant personal secretary Omar Faruq Talukder, then general manager of Bangladesh Railway (eastern zone) Yusuf Ali Mridha, and railway's Dhaka Divisional Security Commandant Enamul Huq were in the vehicle which was reportedly going to Suranjit's Dhanmondi home.
Driver Azam has remained untraced since.
Suranjit claimed innocence in the railwaygate scandal.
In the 10th JS election on 5 January in 2014, he was elected a member of parliament as AL nominated candidate.
In his personal life, he married Jaya Sengupta. Their only son Soumen received his master’s degree from a Canadian university. Suranjit loved to read books while outing and watching cricket.