BNP leaders, activists and supporters on Friday paid their tributes to the party's standing committee member and eminent lawyer Moudud Ahmed at its central office in Nayapaltan.
Activists and supporters from all over the country flocked to the Nayapaltan office in the capital to pay their last respect to the veteran politician as an ambulance carrying his body arrived there around 10:39am today.
The coffin was then covered with the BNP party flag. Leaders and activists offered their homage to the deceased by placing wreaths at the body.
A namaz-e-janaza (funeral prayer) for Moudud was held there around 11am. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with other leaders and activists of the party participated in the janaza.
Prior to the janaza, Mirza Fakhrul in his commemorative speech said, "Moudud Ahmed was a legend. He was a reputed politician and a renowned lawyer. All his life he worked to bring changes with an aim to establishing a democratic society. His passing away has left a huge void in our country."
Earlier in the day, people from all walks of life, including BNP leaders and activists paid their respect to Moudud at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka in the morning.
Later, his mortal remains were taken to the High Court premises where his first namaz-e-janaza was held on the High Court premises.
Moudud's body will be taken to Kabirhat upazila in Noakhali where his third janaza will be held in Kabirhat Degree College field at 2:30pm.
Moudud's body then will be taken to his village home in Companiganj upazila of the district.
He will be buried at his family graveyard at 5:30pm after his last Jazana at Bashurhat Government Mujib College at 4pm.
The body of this seasoned politician arrived here from Singapore on Thursday evening.
A flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the body landed at 6pm at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other party senior leaders received the body of the veteran politician at the airport on completion of the necessary formalities.
The 81-year-old ailing BNP leader died at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on Tuesday.
Moudud was admitted to Mount Elizabeth Hospital for advanced treatment on February 1 as he had been suffering from various complications.
Meanwhile, BNP observed today (Thursday) as a mourning day over the death of its senior leader Moudud.
BNP hoisted the black flag at party offices across the country and kept the party flag at half-mast while party leaders and activists wore black badges in observance of the mourning day.
Moudud Ahmed is one of the founding members of BNP. He joined Jatiya Party in 1985 and served as prime minister and vice president in military ruler HM Ershad's government.
After the fall of Ershad, Moudud returned to BNP in 1996 and was made law minister in Khaleda Zia's government in 2001.
He also served as the first post master general of Bangladesh after independence.
Moudud was elected MP five times from Noakhali-5 seat and once from the Bogura-6 constituency.
