UNB, Khulna:Former Speaker Sheikh Razzak Ali died at his Farzipara residence in the city on Sunday. He was 87. Sheikh Razzak, who had long been suffering from cancer, breathed his last at around 2:45pm, Razzak’s daughter Dr. Shahnaz Razzak told UNB. He is survived by wife Begum Majed Ali, an educationist, and five daughters. Born at Hitampur village in Paikgacha upazila, Khulna in 1928, Sheikh Razzak Ali obtained Master’s Degree in Economics from Dhaka University in 1952 and later obtained MA Degree in Bengali literature from the same university 1953.He was elected a member of Bangladesh Bar Council in 1973, while president and general secretary of Khulna Bar several times.Sheikh Razzak Ali actively participated in the Language Movement of 1952, mass upsurge of 1969, the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 and movement against autocracy during 1982-1990.Razzak Ali joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 1978 and was elected Member of Parliament (MP) from Khulna-2 and 5 constituencies from the party in 1979, 1991 and 1996.Razzak was appointed State Minister for the Law and Justice on 20 March 1991 and he was elected Deputy Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad on 5 April 1991 and was unanimously elected the Speaker on 12 October 1991.Later, Razzak quit BNP and joined Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as a Senior Presidium Member in 2001. His namaj-e-janaza will be held at Khulna Circuit House at 11am today (Monday) and be buried at his family graveyard.
