AL leader Sajeda Chowdhury laid to rest

Presidium member of the Awami League and deputy leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury was laid to rest on Monday.

She was buried with state honours at Banani Graveyard around 6:00 pm after a second namaz-e-janaza held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

She was given a guard of honor by the police force before being laid to eternal rest.

Earlier around 11 am her first namaz-e-janaza was held at MN Academy school premises in Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur.

Thousands of people from all walks of life took part in the janaza braving inclement weather. She was given a guard of honour before the janaza.

After the janaza and tributes, the leaders and family members of Sajeda Chowdhury left for Dhaka with her mortal remains around 12 pm.

Her body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar at 2:40 and was kept there till 4:15 pm so that people from all walks of life could pay homage.

There, on behalf of the President, military secretary Major General Salahuddin Islam and military secretary Major General Kabir Ahmad on behalf of the Prime Minister paid tribute to Sajeda Chowdhury at around 2:45 PM.

AL General Secretary Obaidul Qader on behalf of the party, president Al Nahiyan Khan Joy and general secretary Lekhak Bhattacharya on behalf of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), Dr Sharfuddin Ahmad on behalf of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dr Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman on behalf of Dhaka University along with the representatives of many other political and culture parties and organisations placed floral wreaths to pay last tribute to the deceased.

After paying respect to the dead body of Sajeda Chowdhury, Obaidul Quader said, "Sajeda Chowdhury appeared as a brave leader during the party's hard times and she was a very trusted colleague of our leader Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She has been covering a big chapter in the history of Bangladesh politics."

Faridpur-2 MP Sajeda Chowdhury passed away at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka on Sunday night at the age of 87.

The deputy leader of the House was admitted to hospital with post-Covid-19 complications two weeks ago.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Abdul Hamid expressed shock and deep grief at the death of Sajeda.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen also mourned her death.

Deputy leader of the opposition GM Quader also mourned her passing.

Born in 1935, Sajeda became the deputy leader of the House in 2019 for the third consecutive term.

She was also a Language Movement veteran and one of the organisers of the country's Liberation War.

The 87-year-old served as environment and forest minister and was awarded the Swadhinata Padak in 2010.