Rangpur, July 15 (UNB) – A grave was dug here for Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, who passed away on Sunday, as the leaders of the party’s Rangpur unit on Tuesday announced to thwart any move to bury him in the capital.
On Sunday, party senior leaders decided to bury the former military ruler at Military Graveyard in the capital.
Protesting the decision, Jatiya party’s Rangpur and Rajshahi units held a joint meeting at the party’s Rangpur city unit office on Monday noon.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Rangpur unit Jatiya Party president and Rangpur City Corporation Mayor Mostafizur Rahman Mostafa said they have decided to burry Ershad in Rangpur at any cost.
He said Ershad’s body will be brought to Rangpur from Dhaka on Tuesday morning for a janaza. “If any evil effort is made to take back his body from Rangpur after the janaza, our leaders and activists will resist it even, if necessary at the cost blood.”
Before his death, Mostafa said Ershad had expressed his desire to be buried at his Rangpur residence Polli Nibash. “So, we won’t allow anybody to bury him at any other place outside Rangpur.”
He also alleged that the decision to bury Ershad at Banani Military Graveyard was taken as part of a plot to isolate him from common people. ”We the people of northern region won’t allow anyone to implement such a plot.”
Later, Mostafa along with party leaders began the digging of a grave at Polli Nibash’s Litchi Orchard.
Ershad, a former military strongman and five-time MP, breathed his last at 7:45am on Sunday while undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka.
His first janaza was held at the Army Central Mosque in Dhaka on Sunday while two other janazas were held on Monday.
Ershad’s body will be kept at the CMH (Dhaka) mortuary overnight on Monday. It will be flown here on Tuesday morning where his fourth janaza will be held.
Ershad’s Qulkhwani will be held on Wednesday at Gulshan’s Azad mosque in Dhaka.
