BNP standing committee member and former Prime Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed was laid to eternal rest at his Manikpur village home in Companiganj upazila, Noakhali on Friday.
Moudud, also a former vice president and law minister, was buried at his family graveyard after Magrib prayers following his sixth and final namaz-e-janaza in a field near his ancestral home.
BNP leaders and activists, locals, family members and relatives attend the namaz-e-janaza and the burial.
Earlier, his body was flown to Kabirhat upazila in Noakhali from Dhaka where his fourth janaza was held in Kabirhat Degree College field around 3:30pm.
Later, the BNP leader’s coffin was taken to Bashurhat Government Mujib College ground for his fifth janaza there after Asr prayers. As a freedom fighter, Moudud was given guard of honour there before the janaza.
The 81-year-old ailing BNP leader and six-time MP died at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on Tuesday and his body was brought home on Thursday. His coffin was kept at the mortuary of Evercare Hospital in the capital Thursday overnight.
The body of Moudud was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar around 9am on Friday enabling people to pay their last respect to the seasoned politician.
Queuing up before the coffin draped in national flag, leaders and activists of different political parties, including BNP, Gonoforum, Nagorik Oikya, JSD (Rob), Jagpa, Jatiya Party (Zafar), and Bangladesh NAP together with common people placed wreaths one after another and stood in silence for some time to pray for Moudud’s departed soul when his body was lying in state there for around one hour.
Moudud’s brother-in-law and Prime Minister's Energy Advisor Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury also went to the Central Shaheed Minar to pay their last homage to the 81-year-old politician.
From the Shaheed Minar, Moudud’s body was taken to the High Court premises where lawyers paid their last respect to their late colleague.
His second janaza was also held there participated by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, judges, lawyers and politicians.
The BNP leader’s first janaza was held in Singapore with the participation of Bangladeshi expatriates living there.
The coffin of Moudud was taken to BNP's Nayapaltan central office at about 11am and kept on a makeshift stage in front of it, enabling party leaders and activists to have the final glimpse of their late leader.
Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir together with senior leaders draped the coffin with BNP’s flag.
On behalf of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman, they also placed wreaths on the coffin and stood in solemn silence for a while paying homage to their late colleague.
Several thousand BNP leaders and activists gathered in Nayapaltan area and bid tearful adieu to their late leader. The third janaza of the BNP leader was held there.
In a brief address prior to the janaza, Fakhrul said Barrister Moudud Ahmed was not only a politician but also a legend of politics. “The void created through his death is irreparable.”
Describing Moudud as a guardian of the party, he said BNP will miss him and feel his absence always.
Fakhrul prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to his bereaved family members.
Moudud was admitted to Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore for advanced treatment on February 1 as he had been suffering from various complications.
