Koko's body arrives today

Since the two last met in Singapore about one and a half years ago, a heartbroken mother will see her younger son's body for one last time today.

The body of Arafat Rahman Koko, younger son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, will arrive at Shahjalal International Airport at 11:30am.

“All the necessary formalities including collecting the death certificate and visas have been completed. A flight of Malaysia Airlines is scheduled to leave Kuala Lumpur for Dhaka at 9:00am [BST] today, carrying Koko's body. His wife and two daughters will be accompanying the body,” a close relative of Koko told The Daily Star.

A five-member BNP delegation composed of Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Abdullah Al Noman, Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf and Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury will receive the body.

From the airport, the mortal remains of Koko will be driven to Khaleda's Gulshan office where his mother, close relatives, senior BNP leaders, political leaders and distinguished dignitaries will pay their last tribute to him.

The second namaz-e-janaza of 45-year-old Koko, who died of a cardiac arrest at his rented house in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, will be held at Baitul Mukarram national mosque after Asr prayers at 4:15pm today.

In a statement yesterday, BNP has made an appeal to all its activists and people to attend the namaz-e-janaza and burial of Koko at the Army Graveyard in Banani.

Since Khaleda was informed on Saturday afternoon about the sudden demise of her younger son, she has isolated herself from most others except for the wives of her two brothers, her physicians, niece and in-laws of Tarique, a close relative of the BNP chief said.

“Whenever I met her in the last three days, I found her either in prayers or asleep under the influence of sedatives. After waking up from sleep, she enquired of Koko several times,” said the source.

Khaleda was sobbing and very upset. She lamented that she could not take care of her younger son's health issues. She had last met her two sons together in July, 2013 in Singapore when she went there for treatment.

Koko's first namaz-e-janaza was held at the central mosque of Kuala Lumpur. His elder brother Tarique Rahman joined a gayebana janaza (funeral prayers in absentia) at a local park in London where he has been staying since late 2008.

Gayebana janazas of Koko will be held at 10:30am today across the country sans the capital, said BNP.

The party will hold milad mahfils and Quran Khawani today and tomorrow as part of its three-day mourning programme.

Meanwhile, diplomats of different foreign missions in Dhaka, political and business leaders, former national cricket and football players, among others, visited Khaleda's Gulshan office yesterday to sign the condolence book opened by BNP on Sunday.