Legendary political leader Kazi Zafar Ahmed is no more. Chairman of his faction of the Jatiya Party the ailing leader suffered a massive heart attack early in the morning and passed away at the United Hospital in Gulshan where he was shifted.
The JP leader was taken to the hospital in the morning as his family members failed to wake him up in the morning. The on duty doctors pronounced him dead after examination on arrival at the hospital, he added.
Quoting family members, he said Zafar was suffering from different physical complications including diabetes and kidney problem. Doctors suspect that he died of a severe heart attack.
Kazi Zafar Ahmed had been to Australia and returned only about a couple of months ago. He did host a large iftat party of his party in last Ramadan. Bnp chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and other 20-party leaders and some foreign dignitaries attended the iftar
Bnp Chairperson, Begum Khaleda Zia, has expressed her deep shock at the sudden death of Kazi Zafar Ahmed who led one of the 20-component parties in the Bnp-led 20-party alliance.
A former student leader of the then East Pakistan Students Union, and fire-brand labour leader, Kazi Zafar Ahmed was one of the frontline leaderss of the National Awami Party, led by the late Mounala Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani.
The 76 year old veteran leader and an organiser of the liberation war is survived by wife, three daughters and a host of well-wishers to mourn his death.
Jatiya Party chairman Ershad expelled him over differences in participating in election time government in 2013. Kazi Zafar also expelled Ershad and formed a new faction of Jatiya Party led by him. Later, his party joined the BNP-led 20-party alliance.
Kazi Zafar hailed from Cheora of Chauddagram upazila in Comilla was much discussed politician in the political arena in the country because of different reasons.
He was the general secretary of the East Pakistan Students Union in the early sixties and later he became a trade union organizing the workers in Tongi industrial area.
Zafar was also general secretary of National Awami Party (NAP) led by Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani and played an important role in 1969 mass upsurge.
Following the banning of all parties except the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (Bksal) in 1975 Kazi Zafar Ahmed like others remained in political hibernation for sometime. After political parties were allowed to revive in 1976 he formed and led the United People’s Party.
Kazi Zafar Ahmed joined the government of late president Ziaur Rahman as Education Adviser and rendered invaluable serviced in the framing of an education policy through dialogue with cross sections of the people. However, before the policy was finalised and the dialogue was still on he parted with Ziaur Rahman when the education dialogue was still on.
The late leader was with the 7-Party Political Alliance that fought against HM Ershad’s military rule that had overthrown elected president Justice Abdus Sattar on 24 March 1982 through a military coup d’etat.
During the civilianisation process of the Ershad regime Kazi Zafar joined his Jatiya Party abolishing his own UPP which had earlier been weakened by desertion of leaders like Abdul Halim Chowdhury, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Col. Akbar Hossain.
In Ershad’s government Kazi Zafar Ahmed rose to the rank of Prime Minister. He remained with JP till January 2014 when in a dramatic move Roushan directly took part and HM Ershad indirectly lent support to the election of 05th of that month boycotted by all other major political parties. Kazi Zafar has predicted that Roushan would lead the JP election and HM Ershad would pretend to be indisposed paving the way for the same, which proved true.
Kazi Zafar Ahmed soon launched his own faction of Jatiya Party and became its chairman. The first council session of his party held in the National Press Club premises amid varrious obstructions was marred by a number of bomb blasts.
A decedent of the illustrious Cheora Kazi Bari of Comilla Kazi Zafar spent most of the time of the 2-year reign of the last military backed caretaker government in Australia where he delivered lectured at different universities, his close sources said. He remained active with the 20-party alliance till his death.
Zafar’s first namaz-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 Mosque where the second namaz-e-janaza will be held after Zuhr prayers, said Golam Mostafa.
Grameen Bank’s founder and Noble Laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus rushed to the United Hospital after hearing the death news of Zafar to his body.
Yunus told reporters that Zafar and he were friends while studying in Chittagong University.
President Abdul Hamid and leaders of different political parties including BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in separate message expressed their deep shocks at the death of Kazi Zafar seeking the salvation of the departed soul.
In his condolence message, the President prayed for the salvation of the departed soul of the diseased and expressed his sympathy to his bereaved family members.
Khaleda Zia expressed her condolence and profound shock and at the demise of the veteran politician.
She also preyed for his salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family members.
Minister for Railway Md Mojibul Haque, now undergoing treatment in Singapore, in a condolence message also paid tribute to Kazi Zafar Ahmed and said he has lot of contribution in socio-economic development of the constituency which he now represents in Parliament.
Prof Dr Badruddoza Chowdhury of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Makbul Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami, Quader Siddique of Krishak Sramik Janata League, Maulana Abdul Laitf Nezami and Mufti Faizullah of Islami Oikya Jote and Khandaker Golam Mortuza of NDP also expressed their deep shock at the death of Zafar.
In a message sent from New York Atiqur Rahman Salu, president, International Farakka Committee expressed his profound shock at the death of the veteran leader. The contributions of Kazi Zafar Ahmed to the War of Liberation and all democratic movements on this land will be gratefully remembered – Atiqur Rahman Salu added – GreenWatch Report
