Baby Moudud passes away

Eminent journalist and former Awami League lawmaker AN Mahfuza Khatun Baby Moudud died at a city hospital yesterday afternoon. She was 66.

She had been suffering from cancer. She left behind two sons and a host of admirers to mourn her death.

She was laid to rest late last night in the grave of her husband Mohammad Hasan Ali in the capital's Banani graveyard after two namaz-e-janazas, one at Eidgah Mosque of Dhanmondi and one at the Jatiya Press Club after Esha prayers, said family sources.

Born in Kolkata in 1948, Baby Moudud completed her master's degree in Bangla at Dhaka University in 1971.

She started her career as a journalist in 1967 and served The Daily Sangbad, BBC, The Daily Ittefaq, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) weekly Bichitra and online news portal bdnews24.com.

She was elected MP to a reserved seat for women in the ninth parliament.

President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leaders of political parties expressed deep shock at the death of the veteran journalist.

The PM visited United Hospital in the capital's Gulshan in the afternoon to pay last respect to her long-time friend, said a release of Prime Minister's Office.

Hasina remembered Baby Moudud's contribution in editing the “Incomplete Autobiography of Bangabandhu” Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. 

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, Finance Minister AMA Muhith and his deputy M Abdul Mannan offered condolences at the death of the former legislator. The Jatiya Press Club and Dhaka Reporters Unity also issued separate condolence messages about the deceased.