BTRC chief Zia Ahmed passes away

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Zia Ahmed died of cardiac arrest at United Hospital in the capital early yesterday. He was 58.
His first namaz-e-janaza was held at Garrison Mosque in Dhaka Cantonment and the second one at Baridhaha DOHS Mosque.
Buried at Banani Military Graveyard, Zia Ahmed left his wife, two sons and a daughter to mourn him.
Ahmed was appointed the head of the telecom regulator in February 2009. The much-hyped 2G-licence renewal of mobile operators Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Citycell was completed during his tenure.
Ahmed was forced into retirement by the BNP-led government when he was a brigadier general. Later, the ruling Awami League government honoured him by raising his rank to major general in 2009.He served in Mozambique as a United Nations Peacekeeper.
Born on July 26, 1954 in Sujanagar thana of Pabna, Zia Ahmed was the son of famous litterateur Sarder Jainuddin Ahmed. He studied at Tejgaon Polytechnic High School and Notre Dame College in Dhaka.
In a condolence message, President Zillur Rahman said Ahmed played a remarkable role in making the country's mobile phone companies people-oriented as well as increasing revenue from the telecom sector.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other ministers expressed deep shock at his death.