Staff Reporter :Chairman of Jatiya Party (JP-Zafar) Kazi Zafar Ahmed passed away on Thursday morning. He was 76. Kazi Zafar, also a former Prime Minister, fell sick at his residence at Gulshan in Dhaka while he was taking preparation to go to his village home at Chauddagram upazila in Comilla district at about 7:00am, said his personal secretary Golam Mostafa. Later, he was taken to Gulshan’s United Hospital where the doctor declared him dead at about 7:30am. Kazi Zafar is survived by wife, three daughters and a host of relatives, followers and well-wishers to mourn his death. Zafar’s first namaj-e-janaza will be held at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Friday morning. Later, his body will be taken to Baitul Mokarram National Mosque where the second namaj-e-janaza will be held after Zuhr prayers, said Golam Mostafa. President Abdul Hamid, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and leaders of the political and social organisations have expressed their deep shock at the sudden death of Kazi Zafar Ahmed. Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus went Kazi Zafar’s residence in the morning and expressed sympathy at the bereaved family members. A former student leader of the then East Pakistan Students Union, and fire-brand labour leader, Kazi Zafar Ahmed was one of the frontline leaders of the National Awami Party, led by the late Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani. He formed the United People’s Party (UPP) in 1976. Kazi Zafar joined the government of late President Ziaur Rahman as Education Adviser and rendered invaluable service in the framing of an education policy through dialogue with cross-sections of the people. A decedent of the illustrious Cheora Kazi Bari of Comilla his political life was shaped mostly in Khulna and Tongi. Kazi Zafar spent most of the time of the 2-year reign of the last military backed caretaker government in Australia where he delivered lecture at different universities, his close sources said.
