Veteran AL leader Kaiser passes away

Awami League presidium member Ataur Rahman Khan Kaiser passed away in the city yesterday.
He was 71.
After fighting for life for over a month, he let out his last breath at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) around 2:55pm yesterday. He left three daughters and a host of relatives to mourn his death.
Kaiser, an organiser of the Liberation War, sustained severe injuries in a road accident in Ramu upazila of Cox's Bazar on August 28. After the incident, he underwent treatment at CMCH and Apollo Hospitals in the capital. He later flew to Singapore to have better treatment.
Family sources said Kaiser was admitted to Apollo Hospitals again after he returned to the country and from October 03 he was at CMCH.
The deceased was taken to his Chandanpura residence in the city yesterday.
His first namaz-e-janaza will be held at Ershad Ali High School at his village Barkhain in the district at 11:00am today.
His family members will bury the body at the family graveyard at Chandanpura after second namaz-e-janaza at the city's Jamiatul Falah Jame Masjid around 5:00pm, said his younger brother Anwarul Islam Khan Sawgat.
Meanwhile, a sombre atmosphere was prevailing at the residence when the body was brought there. People from all strata of life rushed there to express sympathy to the bereaved family. Awami League leaders including AZM Nasir, Chittagong city AL president and former mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury; BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's adviser Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin; eminent scientist Anupam Sen, among others, went to the residence.
Anupam, a close friend of Kaiser, said he was an extraordinary politician who worked throughout his life for the emancipation of people.
Mohiuddin Chowdhury said Kaiser's death is an irreparable loss to AL and Bangladesh as well.
The veteran AL leader had obtained his MA in political science from Dhaka University in 1963. He was involved in politics from his student life.
He joined Awami League inspired by AL leader MA Aziz in 1969. He won the election of 1970 from Anwara-Banshkhali in Chittagong.
He was general secretary of Chittagong south district AL unit for long and served as ambassador in Russia and South Korea.
His wife Nilufer Kaiser who was the president of Chittagong Woman Awami League died in 2008.
Political, social and cultural organisations in separate statements expressed sympathy for the demise of the politician.