Dhaka, Mar 4 – HT Imam, the lifelong bureaucrat-turned-adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, breathed his last in the small hours of Thursday at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka. He was 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 1:15 am on Thursday, said Biplab Barua, office secretary of the Awami League, in a Facebook post.
Imam’s first namaz-e-janaza will be held at Akbar Ali Government College ground in Ullapara of Sirajganj district around 11 am and will be brought back to Dhaka by helicopter.
His body will be then taken to the Central Shaheed Minar and be kept there from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm on Thursday for people of all walks of life to pay their last tributes to him.
Imam will be buried at Banani Graveyard following the second namaz-e-janaza at Gulshan Azad Mosque after Asr prayers.
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 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 the 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. – UNB
