Last respects paid to Prof Muzaffar Ahmed

President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, political leaders and a cross section of people yesterday paid tributes to one of the political luminaries of the country and Bangladesh National Awami Party (Pro-Moscow NAP) President Prof Muzaffar Ahmed.

Prof Muzaffar, who was the NAP president for over five decades, breathed his last on Friday at the city’s Apollo Hospitals due to old age complications. He was 97.

The prime minister paid homage by placing a wreath on his coffin, draped with the national flag, at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban yesterday morning.

After laying the wreath, the premier stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Prof Muzaffar -- the last surviving member of the advisory council of the Mujibnagar Government that led Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971.

Flanked by senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, placed another wreath on the coffin of Prof Muzaffar on behalf of her party.

Later, Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury placed a wreath on the coffin of the veteran politician.

Earlier, a wreath was placed on behalf of President Abdul Hamid.

A munajat was offered on the occasion, seeking eternal peace of the departed soul of Prof Muzaffar.

The prime minister, the speaker, ministers, parliament members and leaders of different political parties joined the munajat.

The first namaz-e-janaza of the NAP president was held at South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban at around 11am.

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader; Science and Technology Minister Yeafes Osman; State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmood Chowdhury; Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim; MPs of AL, Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal; and leaders of several other political parties were present at the janaza.

Later, Muzaffar’s body was taken to NAP office at the city’s Dhanmondi Hawkers’ Market.

After around one hour, his body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar for people to pay their last tributes to him.

From Shaheed Minar, the body was taken to Baitul Mukarram National Mosque where his second namaz-e-janaza was held after Asr prayers, Ismail Hossain, acting general secretary of NAP, told The Daily Star.

Muzaffar Ahmed will be buried at Elahabad village under Debidwar upazila in Cumilla after Zohr prayers today after his third namaz-e-janaza in the district town hall, he added.

Meanwhile, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman, Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), Socialist Party of Bangladesh (SPB) and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) also mourned Muzaffar’s death.