Nasim buried at Banani graveyard

Veteran Awami League leader and former health minister Mohammad Nasim was laid to rest at the Banani graveyard in the capital on Sunday morning, after being awarded a guard of honour, according to UNB.

His first namaz-e-janaza was held at 9:37am at Sobhanbagh Jame Mosque in Dhanmondi. It was attended by over 500 people who came from his constituency in Sirajganj.

The veteran AL leader was laid to eternal rest around 10:55am after the second namaz-e-janaza at 10:25am at Banani Jam-e-mosque in the capital.

Hundreds of AL leaders and activists attended the second namaz-e-janaza maintaining physical distance amid coronavirus infection threat.

Nasim, son of M Mansur Ali, one of the organisers of the liberation war of Bangladesh and a close associate of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, breathed his last at Bangladesh Specialised Hospital in the capital on Saturday.

He was 72.

Tributes and condolences poured in after the demise of veteran politician and Awami League presidium member.

President Abdul Hamid said Nasim was a fearless fighter in all the democratic movements of the country including struggle for independence and the 1971 liberation war.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has lost a patriot and a leader of people at his death. "I've lost a trustworthy co-fighter," she said.

Earlier on 5 June, the former minister underwent a successful surgery after his condition deteriorated following a stroke while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

A day before that, his health condition had improved and he was scheduled to be shifted to a cabin from ICU.

On 2 June, Nasim tested positive for coronavirus and later he tested negative for COVID-19.

Nasim had been the convenor for the 14-party ruling alliance forged around the heft of Awami League.

Political career

Nasim was born on 2 April, 1948 in a highly respectable family in Sirajganj district of Bangladesh.

He was elected as the member of parliament in 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2014.

Nasim, a graduate in Political Science from Jagannath University, was sworn in as Minister on January 12, 2014.

In his long successful political career, he was appointed as the minister for home affairs, minister for housing & public works and also the minister for posts and telecommunications.

He also worked as the spokesperson of the 14-party Grand Alliance.

He was an active social worker. He is a great contributor in establishing many educational institutions in Sirajganj.

Married to Laila Arjumand, he was blessed with three sons.