Koko’s body arrives Tuesday

Arafat Rahman Koko

The body of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s younger son Arafat Rahman Koko will arrive in Bangladesh from Malaysia day after tomorrow.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh Mission in Malaysia both confirmed The Daily Star that the body will be flown in at 11:30am (Bangladesh time) on Tuesday.

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A Malaysian Airlines flight, carrying Koko’s body, will depart Kuala Lumpur around 9:40am (Malaysian time) on that day, insiders said.

The Bangladesh mission in Kuala Lumpur has endorsed all the necessary documents – passport, death certificates, and other relevant papers – for the purpose.

Charge d’ Affaires of Bangladesh mission in Malaysia, Md Rais Hasan Sarower, cleared the papers instantly after they were taken to him for attestation.

On arrival of Koko’s body in Dhaka, his namaz-e-janaza will be held in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in the capital after Asr prayer on Tuesday.

Gayebana janazas will be held across the country on Wednesday, BNP said in a press release this evening.  

BNP will observe a three-day mourning from tomorrow. Leaders and activists of the party and its front organisations have been requested to observe the mourning.   

After the namaz-e-janaza, he will be buried at Banani graveyard, family sources added.

Khaleda Zia’s younger brother Shameem Iskandar, along with two others, is believed to be currently in Malaysia to bring back Koko’s body. Among the two others who flew to Malaysia early today were Shahed, brother in-law of Shameem Iskander, sources inside the BNP said.

Koko’s first namaz-e-janaza was held at the central Jame mosque in Kuala Lumpur after zohr prayers (local time), Sayrul Kabir Khan, a media staff of BNP chief’s press wing, said.

A gayebana janaza was held at a local mosque in London after Ashr prayers in which Tarique Rahman, elder brother of Koko, took part.

He told The Daily Star Online of the Shameem Iskander’s departure and added that Koko’s well wishers, friend, near and dear ones attended the prayers.

Koko, who had been living in Malaysia on parole, died of heart failure at Kuala Lumpur around 1:30pm yesterday. He complained of chest pain around noon and died at his rented house in Malaysia.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called on Khaleda’s Gulshan office last night to offer her consolation to the BNP chief, but had to return from the gates that remained locked. Leaders of the BNP said aggrieved Khaleda was asleep with sedatives administered to her.

Awami League leaders condemned the move and later the premier’s press secretary said Khaleda was welcome at the Gono Bhaban. Later, Khaleda Zia thanked the premier for her visit.

On the other hand, though no official statement has been made on whether the BNP-led 20-party alliance’s prevailing spell of countrywide blockade in wake of Koko’s death, leaders of the party said last night that the agitation would continue.