Ershad’s 4th janaza held in Rangpur

The fourth and final namaz-e-janaza of Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad was held at Central Collectorate Eidgah in Rangpur on Tuesday, reports UNB.

The janaza took place around 2:28pm with the participation of thousands of people.

Huge law enforcers were deployed in and around the Eidgah to fend off any untoward incident as local leaders announced to thwart party senior leaders' plan to bury Ershad at Military Graveyard in the capital instead of Rangpur.

A grave was also dug here on Monday for the Jatiya Party chairman at the Litchi Orchard of his local residence Polli Nibash.

Earlier in the morning, the body of Ershad, who passed away in the capital on Sunday morning, was brought to Rangpur for the janaza.

A helicopter of Bangladesh Air Force carrying the coffin of the Jatiya Party chief landed at Rangpur Cantonment around 11:30am.

Jatiya Party acting chairman GM Guader, secretary general Moshiur Rahman Ranga, former secretary general Ruhul Amin Hawlader and Ershad's son Rahgir Al Mahi Shad Ershad, among others, accompanied the body.

Ershad, a former military strongman and five-time MP, breathed his last at 7:45am on Sunday while undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka.

His first janaza was held at the Army Central Mosque in Dhaka on Sunday while two other janazas were held on Monday.

Ershad's qulkhwani will be held on Wednesday at Gulshan's Azad mosque in Dhaka.

The former military strongman had been shuttling between his home and hospital for the last few months as his health condition deteriorated.

He was admitted to the CMH on 26 June as he had been suffering from various old-age complications, including low hemoglobin, kidney and liver problem, high bilirubin and serious keen pain.