Former deputy speaker Shawkat Ali passes away

Former deputy speaker colonel (retd) Shawkat Ali passed away at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) at around 9:30am on Monday.

Shawkat Ali was the deputy speaker after the Awami League ascended to power in 2009.

He was 84.

Parliament sources said he has been suffering from kidney disease, diabetes, pneumonia and other complications.

Shawkat was elected MP from Shariatpur-2 for six times. He was an accused in the Agartala conspiracy case in 1969 alongside Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Director (public relations) of Jatiya Sangsad Tarique Mahmud in a statement said the first namaz-e-janaza of Shawkat Ali will be held at Baitul Mukarram national mosque after Magrib prayer on Monday.

Earlier, his body would be kept at central Shaheed Minar for paying respect at 3:00pm.

Shawkat Ali’s second namaz-e-janaza will be held in Shariatpur’s Naria BL High School ground after Zuhr prayer on Tuesday.