Moudud Ahmed laid to rest
BNP standing committee member and seasoned lawyer Moudud Ahmed was buried at his family graveyard in Noakhali's Companiganj upazila on Friday evening.
Earlier, people from all walks of life, including politicians and lawyers, paid their last tributes to the veteran politician Moudud Ahmed at the Central Shaheed Minar, Nayapaltan and on the high court premises in the capital on Friday, reports UNB.
Two namaz-e-janazas of the BNP leader, who died in Singapore on Tuesday, were also held in the city before his body was taken to his home district Noakhali for burial.
The body of Moudud was brought to the Central Shaheed Minar around 9:00am enabling people to pay their last respect to the seasoned politician.
Queuing up before the coffin draped in national flag, leaders and activists of different political parties, including BNP, Gonoforum, Nagorik Oikya, JSD (Rob), Jagpa, Jatiya Party (Zafar), and Bangladesh NAP together with common people placed wreaths one after another and stood in silence for some time to pray for Moudud's departed soul when his body was lying in state there for around one hour.
Moudud's brother-in-law and prime minister's energy advisor Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury also went to the Central Shaheed Minar to pay their last homage to the 81-year-old politician who served as prime minister and vice president of the country.
From the Shaheed Minar, Moudud's body was taken to the high court premises where lawyers paid their last respect to their late colleague.
His second namaz-e-janaza was also held there participated by chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, judges, lawyers and politicians.
The BNP leader's first janaza was held in Singapore with the participation of Bangladeshi expatriates living there.
The coffin of Moudud was taken to BNP's Nayapaltan central office at about 11:00am and kept on a makeshift stage in front of it, enabling party leaders and activists to have the final glimpse of their late leader.
Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir together with senior leaders draped the coffin with BNP's flag.
On behalf of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman, they also placed wreaths on the coffin and stood in solemn silence for a while paying homage to their late colleague.
Several thousand BNP leaders and activists gathered in Nayapaltan area and bid tearful adieu to their late leader. The third janaza of the BNP leader was held there.
In a brief address prior to the janaza, Fakhrul said Moudud Ahmed was not only a politician but also a legend of politics. "The void created through his death is irreparable."
Describing Moudud as a guardian of the party, he said BNP will miss him and feel his absence.
Fakhrul prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to his bereaved family members.
Later, Moudud's body was flown to Kabirhat upazila in Noakhali where his fourth janaza was held in Kabirhat Degree College field.
Our correspondent from Noakhali reports, Moudud was buried at his family graveyard in Companiganj's Manikpur area at 6:40pm after his fifth and sixth jazana at Bashurhat Government Mujib College ground and the ground near his village.
Moudud Ahmed’s wife Hasna Jasimuddin Moudud, BNP’s central vice chairman Md Shahjahan, joint secretary general Mahbub Uddin Khokon, district BNP’s president AZM Golam Haider, among others spoke before his janaza at Kabirhat Degree College field.
Awami League’s district unit general secretary and lawmaker from Noakhali-4 Ekramul Karim Chowdhury, Kabirhat upazila Awami League general secretary Jahirul Haque Raihan also spoke at the gathering.
Ekramul praised Moudud saying that he has never seen such a big politician like Moudud Ahmed.
Moudud was given a guard of honour before his janaza at Government Mujib College ground. Thousands of mourners attended three janazas in Noakhali.
Moudud was admitted to Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore for advanced treatment on 1 February as he had been suffering from various complications.