HT Imam, the lifelong bureaucrat-turned-advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will be laid to rest at Banani Graveyard in Dhaka Thursday afternoon.
Imam breathed his last in the small hours of Thursday at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka at the age of 82.
Imam had been suffering from kidney-related complications and was admitted to the CMH some two weeks ago. His condition, however, started deteriorating on Tuesday, according to Awami League sources.
He was pronounced dead around 1:15am on Thursday.
His body was taken to Sirajganj’s Ullapara upazila by a helicopter around 9.30am while the first namaz-e-janaza was held at 11am at Ullapara Akbar Ali Government College ground, said the special assistant to the Prime Minister Biplob Barua.
His second namaz-e-janaza will be held at Dhaka’s Gulshan Azad Mosque after Asr prayers.
Later, he will be given guard of honour by Dhaka district administration at Banani Graveyard premises and then he will be buried there.
His body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar at 1 pm and kept there for two hours.
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said though he retired from service, he never retired from his work.
The man never passed a day without work and kept himself engaged in work until his death, he also said.
Leaders of various political, social, and cultural organizations paid tributes to HT Imam.
Military secretary to President Abdul Hamid and military secretary to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes on behalf of them.
Imam served as the cabinet secretary in the Mujibnagar government, and then also in the post-independence government of Bangladesh.
During his long and distinguished career in the bureaucracy, he also served as secretary in the Ministry of Communications, as well as the Planning Division.
Imam served as an adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since Awami League’s victory in the December, 2008 general election. First, from 2009-2014 as an adviser on public administration affairs, and then from 2014 on political affairs.
He also took on roles within the Awami League, chairing or co-chairing committees on publicity affairs and elections, and becoming a member of the AL advisory council.
PM condoles
Shortly after the news broke, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of her Political Advisor and advisory council member of Awami League HT Imam.
She prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.
President condolence
President Abdul Hamid on Thursday expressed deep sorrow over the death of HT Imam, political adviser to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In a condolence message, the President said the role of HT Imam was very important in the Great Liberation War and worked all his life to develop the spirit of independence and the Liberation War.
“As a government official, he played a leading role in running the government in the newly independent country. He has also made important contributions towards conducting the elections of Bangladesh Awami League in the national elections. In his death, Bangladesh Awami League lost a dedicated leader,” he said.
The President prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul of HT Imam and conveyed his deepest condolences to his bereaved family.
Besides, Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and CPB General Secretary Dr MA Samad expressed profound shock at the demise of HT Imam.
Source: UNB
