Staff Reporter :
People from all walks of life, political parties and socio-cultural organiations paid rich tributes to the journalist and columnist Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury before his burial at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals’ Graveyard in the capital.
Earlier, the body of deceased arrived in Dhaka from London at 11:05 yesterday. Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq received the body at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on behalf of the government.
Later the body was brought to the Central Shaheed Minar in the afternoon to be seen by the members of the public. People paid respect to the lyricist who wrote his popular song on the 1952 Language Movement – Amar bhaier rokte rangano ekushey February’. A guard of honour was given to the
deceased as a freedom fighter and a moment of silence was observed to commemorate his passing at the Shaheed Minar.
Different political leaders and organisers talked about the contribution of Gaffar for the Liberation War and his writings.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said that Abdul Gaffar will always remain alive through his famous song. He said this after placing a wreath on his coffin at the Central Shaheed Minar on behalf of Awami League.
“The nation has lost a ‘large banyan tree’ in the cultural arena of his age at the death of Gaffar Chowdhury. He gave directives to the nation in different transitional periods,” he said.
“We, who are in state power, will feel his vacuum in getting directives during this ongoing global crisis period,” he mentioned.
AL Presidium Members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Dr Abdur Razzaque, Nurul Islam Nahid and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretary Mirza Azam and SM Kamal Hossain, Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Central Working Committee Members Dr Mustafa Jalal Mahiuddin and Anwar Hossain were present on the occasion.
Flowers were presented on behalf of President Md Abdul Hamid by his Military Secretary Major General SM Salahuddin Islam and for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by her Military Secretary Brigadier General Kabir Ahmed. Speaker of the Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury also presented her respects.
Gaffar’s son Anupam Ahmed Reza said, “My father loved Bangladesh. He knew that the people of Bangladesh loved him as well. He always told us he wanted to be buried in this country. And we have brought him.”
From the Shaheed Minar, Gaffar’s coffin was taken to the Dhaka University Central Mosque and Jatiya Press Club for Namaj-e-Janaza.
At the Press Club, senior journalists of the Club and managing committee members including its President Farida Yesmin, General Secretary Ilias Khan, and leaders of BFUJ, DUJ, Dhaka Reporters Unity and other organisations paid their tribute.
When the body arrived at the Shahjalal International Airport from London, a national flag was draped over the coffin. The delegation then paid their respects to the departed writer by placing floral wreaths.
A delegation led by AKM Mozammel Huq, Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Railway Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan, State Minister for Aviation Md Mahbub Ali, Awami League Presidium Member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, and Awami League Office Secretary Biplob Barua were present at the airport to receive the body.
“Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury was a witness to history. People always waited patiently to hear from him,” said AKM Mozammel Huq.
He was the editor-in-chief of the weekly Joybangla, the mouthpiece of the Mujibnagar Government of 1971. Though he had lived in London since 1974, he was always vocal in support of the Liberation War, Bangabandhu and social values.
Despite living abroad, he regularly wrote political commentary and discussed contemporary issues in Dhaka newspapers. He also wrote poems, stories, novels, plays, memoirs and essays.
He received the Independence Award, Bangladesh’s highest civilian honour, in 2009. The 88-year-old had died in a hospital in the UK on May 19.
