Preparations in Bhola for veteran politician Tofail Ahmed’s burial

Preparations are underway for the burial of veteran politician, one of the organisers of the Liberation War, former minister for industries and commerce, and nine-time member of parliament, Tofail Ahmed, who will be laid to rest today, Tuesday, in his birthplace of Bhola.

Preparations for his burial have been under way since dawn at his home in Koralia village of Dakkhin Dighaldi Union in Bhola Sadar Upazila.

People from all walks of life have been gathering since this morning in the village where Tofail Ahmed spent his childhood and adolescence. Many became visibly emotional as they arrived to bid a final farewell to their beloved leader.

According to family and party sources, Tofail Ahmed’s body will be flown to Bhola on a helicopter this afternoon by his family. His second funeral prayer (Janaza) is scheduled for 2:00 pm at the Bhola Government High School grounds, following the Zuhr prayers.

The first funeral prayer was held yesterday, Monday evening, at the Takwa Mosque in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

Following the second Janaza, his body will be taken to his native village of Koralia. After a third funeral prayer on the local mosque premises, he will be laid to eternal rest at the family graveyard, alongside the graves of his parents.

Local residents remarked that Tofail Ahmed was not merely a politician, he was a symbol of the hopes and aspirations of the people of Bhola. His passing has created an irreparable void in the political and social landscape of the district.

Tofail Ahmed was born on 22 October 1943 in Koralia village of Bhola. He was involved in politics from his student days and gained national prominence through his pivotal leadership during the 1969 Mass Uprising.

As a close associate of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he played a vital role in the independence movement and the nation's political history. In the 1970 elections, at the age of just 27, Tofail Ahmed was elected as a member of the Pakistan National Assembly from the Daulatkhan-Tajumuddin-Manpura constituency in Bhola.

Throughout his long political career, he served as a minister on several occasions. Most recently, he was serving as a member of the advisory council of the Bangladesh Awami League.